Fatima Babakura: Social Media Made Our First Collection Successful
Fatima Babakura is a 21-year-old final year student at McMaster University and the founder and creative director of Timabee, a luxury accessory brand which she created out of her passion for sketching designs. Within 3 years of starting the business, Timabee has won a best fashion brand of the year award. Fatima has also been listed among 22 women redefining luxury in Africa by the Lionesses of Africa group, and has also received the WEF “Iconic Woman” award in 2017. Her passion for women and girls has inspired her to continue to grow Timabee, as well as start other businesses that would create job opportunities, especially in Africa. She is also the co- founder of Signature Boutique in Canada, a multi-brand boutique that aims to showcase the works of African based designers to the world. Fatima enjoys cooking, traveling and sharing her success story. [bctt tweet=”I have always loved accessories and handbags” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspired the Timabee brand? I have always loved accessories and handbags. Growing up, I remember being called “mummy’s handbag”, not because I followed her everywhere as that title would suggest, but because I was always holding my mother’s handbag when we went out together. I guess it was only natural that after I sketched a handbag, I became very curious to see it come to life. That is how Timabee started. What other services do you offer? Timabee currently has a bespoke section that allows the client to be a part of the design team for their handbag. You get to pick your leather, style and a whole lot more. I think it’s really cool. Do your services include any form of offline transactions or are they strictly online? Kindly tell us how the sales chain works. Being a full-time student and juggling a business doesn’t allow much time for offline interactions but I find ways to work around it.We have events from time to time and I also offer one on one bespoke sessions, depending on my availability. I am responsible for the bespoke side of design, amongst other things, so my schedule definitely affects those sessions. [bctt tweet=”With everyone being on social media these days, it is the best way to connect to a wider audience” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are the major social media channels you make use of? Instagram and Twitter. Instagram is our first love. It made our very first collection a success. What has been the most challenging moment on social media so far? So far we haven’t had any challenge’s with social media, thankfully. What would your response be to someone who is contemplating whether or not to use social media as a marketing tool? I think it is a very great tool and it is inexpensive too. With everyone being on social media these days, it is the best way to connect to a wider audience. I would definitely say do it! Are you in the fashion accessories industry? Share your story with us, let us know more about you and your story here.
Just Omomo Ibe: Rule as a Boss, Rock like a Mum, Slay as a Wife
Business strategist and work- life balance expert, Just Omomo Ibe, is helping women create a balance between their work and personal life, so they can chase their dreams and make money while at it. She also helps individuals identify the various opportunities in their business to make more profit. Just Omomo Ibe has been in the banking sector for over seven years and is the founder of The Just Ibe Network; thus living her dreams while been an employee. She is involved in speaking engagements, coaching calls, online courses and business consulting for SME’s. Recently, she launched a Youtube show which focuses on motivation and strategies from experts in various fields, the channel is aimed at further helping her target market achieve success in their life and business. [bctt tweet=”It’s an act of self sabotage to neglect your dreams because you have a job” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about The Just Ibe Network The Just Ibe Network is a group of company that comprises our consulting firm, training and mentorship platform, it also includes an online training academy and media arm. At The Just Ibe Network we pride ourselves in delivering superior quality trainings, coaching and consulting for our esteemed clients both offline and online. What market research did you carry out in the course of starting your business, and how did you go about it? The first research was that of my competitors, I needed to find out what my competitors were offering and what gap they are not filling. This helped me make informed decisions as to how best to penetrate the market. A lot of businesses offer homogeneous products, therefore market research helps you understand how best to position your business in a way that not only meets the needs of your consumers but also positions your business as authentic. [bctt tweet=”Innovation keeps you in the business long after your competitors have gone” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What challenges have you faced so far in the setup of your business? The greatest challenge I faced in setting up my business was creating time to actually execute my plans; creating and fine tuning strategies that would keep me relevant in the market place today and always. Innovation keeps you in business long after your competitors have gone, so you must constantly innovate. What are your launch plans once your business registration is completed? Honestly a business registration isn’t stopping any major launch of my business, as all facets of my businesses are in full gear at the moment. The registration would just allow me operate a corporate account in the designated banks. So my take is it doesn’t matter if your business name is ready or not, keep adding value to your ideal clients and grow your business regardless. [bctt tweet=”It doesn’t matter if your business name is ready or not; keep adding value to your ideal clients and growing your business” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspired the book ‘Rule as a Boss, Rock like a Mum and Slay as a Wife? Rule as a Boss, Rock as a Mum, Slay as a Wife is a book dedicated to helping women create a work life- balance. Last year I started my career in public speaking, leveraging on several online platforms and offline avenues, despite been a full time banker, wife and mum. So people started asking me how I was doing all I was doing, so conveniently. I started documenting steps I have taken that helped me overcome my otherwise very tight schedule and results I achieved. This book is aimed at providing practical steps that can help women fully integrate all aspects of their lives, thus living a balanced and fulfilled life. What kind of investors and partnerships are necessary for your kind of business and what strategies are useful in achieving this? Media investors are required for the talk show arm of my business, which is targeted at providing strategies that would help entrepreneurs succeed and grow in business. Corporate investors also play a major role, especially companies who have CSR projects, ours can successfully pass as a CSR project aimed at helping young and budding entrepreneurs. Who is the one person from anywhere on the globe, you would love to interview and why? The one person I would love to interview is President Barack Obama. He is the one person I look up to the most, because he is probably about the best public speaker that exists in this day and age. [bctt tweet=”If you can think it you can definitely birth it” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What quote resonates with your business and how does it inspire you? We at The Just Ibe Network live by this mantra: if you can think it you can definitely birth it. So dear corporate ladies, your dreams are valid, they are your dreams for a reason, it’s an act of self sabotage to neglect your dreams because you have a job; the world needs you to live to the fullest. Have you mastered the art of work-life balance? Share your story, let us know more about you and your story here.
5 minutes with SheHive London 2017 speaker: Minna Salami
Minna Salami is a Nigerian-Finnish writer, blogger and commentator who has contributed to the popularisation of African feminism through her blog, MsAfropolitan. On woman empowerment: At the risk of sounding too spiritual, or something, let me first say that I believe that if there is a purpose to life, then it is self-actualisation. Some might call this “becoming the highest version of yourself”. Challenges facing professional women. I would say, firstly, the absence of adequate constitutional rights. Secondly, the absence of a robust civil society fighting for adequate constitutional rights. The absence of both disturbs the smooth flow of a woman’s professional life. Women feeling whole and complete. We need to cultivate a culture where women feel the opposite of lack, namely a sense of wholeness. Women working in male dominant fields, as most women are, need to cultivate a sense of inner acceptance that they are enough just as they are, which will enable them to want the same for others. [bctt tweet=” Hear Minna speak at SheHive London 2017: http://sheleadsafrica.org/shehivelondon2017/” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] On Economic growth… The question women should be asking is: How is the money they are contributing to the economy benefiting women? The system should work for us and not vice versa. Put it this way, gender equality is indeed necessary for economic growth, but economic growth is not the only reason we want gender equality. African women and feminism. It is in Africa that I have encountered women with the most dedication to the feminist revolution; women who do not pander to patriarchal narratives, and women who inject a deep humanism and criticism to the global feminist discussion. To hear more from Mina Salami and her world changing creative pursuits, get a ticket to our SheHive London event on the 24th of September.
Oluwaseyi Bank-Oni: Digital Marketing Is Taking Over Rapidly
[bctt tweet=”Everyone can afford to take advantage of digital marketing services.- Oluwaseyi Bank-Oni” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Oluwaseyi Bank-Oni is currently the Senior Account Manager at Nigeria’s foremost digital marketing agency, Webcoupers. She has successfully worked with several brands and has helped them achieve digital footprints on the web. In this interview, Oluwaseyi gives us exclusive insights into why small business owners need to incorporate digital marketing services into their sales strategy. Tell us a bit about yourself & your background I’m a 25 year old branding powerhouse! A slightly eccentric creative genius, obsessed with the color pink and a Nigerian woman on the rise. I spent my childhood and high school years in Nigeria after which I moved to the States for the first half of my undergrad. I then moved to Canada where I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Economics as well as a certification in Business Analysis. Followed by a few years of work in the financial sector. Eventually I became quite jaded, packed my bags, and moved to France last year to attend Business School where I received my MBA with a specialization in Marketing & Brand Management. I just relocated to Nigeria a few months ago, and I am currently the Senior Account Manager at Nigeria’s foremost digital marketing agency, Webcoupers. Why did you decide to come back to Nigeria? I never wanted to leave in the first place! Nigeria has been experiencing a brain drain for a while now but all we do is complain. Those abroad refuse to return while those on the ground want to flee! So who is left? A lot of people don’t see the digital landscape in Africa as viable and I knew I had to play a role in changing that narrative in my own little way. You are either a part of the problem or a part of the solution. I decided it was time to become a part of the solution. That being said, having 24/7 access to pounded yam may or may not have played a role in my decision. Having worked on several marketing campaigns for major brands, what would you say to those who are yet to optimize digital marketing to grow their businesses? It’s 2017 and there is a 99.99% chance that your target market is online, what are you doing? From personal experience, I find a lot of key decision makers in Nigerian businesses are not as open minded as they would like to think. They would rather play it safe and splurge on traditional modes of advertising which don’t even produce trackable results, while neglecting the digital side. That’s not to downplay the importance of non-digital mediums but can you tell me how many people viewed a particular physical billboard yesterday? Probably not. But I can tell you how many people viewed an online ad banner, clicked on it and made a purchase after seeing it! That’s the power of digital. Businesses are literally stagnating their growth by refusing to key into digital marketing vehicles. [bctt tweet=”Digital Marketing is scalable to fit any budget. – Oluwaseyi Bank-Oni” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are the various aspects of digital marketing services that small business owners can leverage on? The wonderful thing about digital marketing is that it is scalable to fit any budget. From the frugal university student selling jewelry on the side to earn extra income, to the massive multinational firm spending the big bucks to drive sales, everyone can afford to take advantage of digital marketing services. Social media Without getting too technical, I’ll discuss a few simple ways SMEs can utilize digital marketing to drive sales. It goes without saying that establishing a social media presence and providing engaging content is imperative. Word of mouth We all know of “Word of Mouth”, but what needs to be leveraged is “Word of Mouse”. This is essentially free advertising by connecting with and building a network of brand loyalists who will help spread the word about their products or services online. With over 70 million Nigerians using the internet, the click of a mouse on social media can get you in front of your target consumer faster than any mouth can. Targeted ad’s Another way is by running targeted ads on social media platforms. You don’t need a big budget or a formal education to get these up and running. Most social media platforms offer a lot of free learning resources to assist you in getting your campaigns up and running. Easy-to-use tools like canva can aid you on your creative journey where you can design colorful engaging ads to appeal to prospective clients. SEO Ensure your website is SEO optimized. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and what that means is you want to boost the visibility of your brand when words relating to it (keywords) are searched for. There’s a popular saying that the best place to hide a dead body is the 2nd page of Google. Seriously, no one checks there. It is estimated that 75% of users never scroll past first page results; The first page is where all the action is and this is where your business needs to be. This does not happen overnight and takes a bit of dedication. But, by using relevant keywords, consistently churning out pertinent content and also having links to your website shared on other sites, small businesses can boost their SEO ranking to drive traffic and sales. If you’re not too keen on trying these out yourself, enlist the services of a digital agency and get on it fast! Some people think digital marketing is expensive. What is the average amount that a small business owner needs to run a digital marketing campaign? There are so many myths surrounding digital marketing. I frequently ponder on where they emanate from. There is no “average” amount as strategies and requirements vary from business to business and campaign to campaign. For example, you can run online ads for various types of campaigns for less
Flo Awolaja: Don’t take your talent for granted
[bctt tweet=”Flo Awolaja represents a lot of things in one, as a writer, poet, and photographer” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Growing up in a household rich in colour, born to parents of Nigerian heritage and a culture that inspired her artistic talents, it’s no surprise that Flo Awolaja grew to become an incredible burst of creativity. Flo is a fun loving and exuberant personality that exudes a quiet confidence and steely determination to succeed in all things. She has been influenced by many of her mother’s collection of African fabrics, various painters, designers, textile artists, photographers and inspired by a plethora of contemporary Nigerian and African American artists in the likes of Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye, Abdoulaye Konaté, Peju Alatise, Victoria Udonian, Hayden Palmer, William H Johnson, Elizabeth Catlett, Romare Bearden et al. Flo Awolaja represents a lot of things in one, as a writer, poet, and photographer, she continues to take delight in all visual pleasures which stimulate the senses. She also has a successful career as a graphic designer and lecturer and has combined her passion for art, design, and photography with teaching, working to raise achievement in her learners by encouraging them, raising their self-esteem, and aspiring confidence in them. [bctt tweet=”The things that are random are not your calling, they are your passion” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about your work on African Arts. There is an expression that I have been carrying around with me for the best part of a year now. When I stumbled upon it, whilst surfing through social media, it was so profound that I have it permanently on my screen saver on the laptop to remind me to keep striving and designing, and how fortunate I am to be doing the things I like. The quote is, “The things that are random, are not your calling, they are your passion”. This is what essentially guides me, and I really do try not to take my talent for granted. Like most things, the body of work that I am now exploring happened by accident, (the best things usually do) it occurred whilst I was at home looking after my son, who had been in the hospital and was now convalescing at home. I had travelled to Ghana in 2013 and brought back a lot of batik fabrics. Not knowing what I wanted to do with them, they lay dormant, until 2015. Whilst looking after my son, I remembered that I had them, and had added to the collection by purchasing metre samples in all colours from friends who would travel to Nigeria and Ghana, gently asking them to bring me back whatever they could. In those moments as a designer, the light bulb goes on and you find yourself creating pieces, which is how the first few ideas transpired. Gradually one became two, and the pieces began to materialise, to the extent that I had about 20 small pieces which I had framed. Enter my son, who saw me spread them out on the floor and was marvelled at how I had managed to hide them around the house, out of the eyes of my mother. Quick as a flash he had photographed them and posted them onto his Instagram account, I still do not have one! From that moment the genie had been released and it was not going to go back into the bottle. It became a question of how to showcase the designs to a wider audience. Each opportunity has acted like a stepping stone, I have been most fortunate in the breaks that have come my way I tend to look at my work much in the way a painter starts with a blank canvas. No two pieces that I create will ever be the same. Whilst I am creating these textile paintings, I am only aware of the colours that I will use, but not the journey of the piece, each one has its own rhythm and story, that for me is what makes each one off piece unique. [bctt tweet=”The universe has a lovely way of conspiring to tell you something different – @Maverikartz” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspires your art works and exhibitions? Wow, that is a difficult question, but I can honestly say that I am inspired by many things, from listening to music, conversation, hearing and reading a line of poetry, along with photographs that just capture my imagination. I also think that being raised in a culture steeped in Yoruba tradition, has been instrumental in my journey as a designer. My mother was a printer and my father was a draughtsman, so design and the love of design have been instilled in me from an early age. I am inspired by anything that delights and tickles my visual senses. How would you compare the Western and African market in terms of values for art works? Like most things we have been constantly conditioned through no fault of our own to have the idea that African works of art are somewhat in inferior; that is certainly not my view, and anyone who knows me will tell you I am the most ardent and fervent champion of our African Ancestry and Heritage. The African market is far more exciting. The current resurgence and proliferation of African art is taking the art world by storm. Our trajectory of art has always been rising, however presently its stock has never been higher, why is this? Artists from Picasso to Hirst have made more than a passing reference to the art of Africa, even to the point of appropriating whole elements in the quest to claim works as their own. So why the sudden interest? What many curators were happy to call ‘tribal’, that somehow adding the word ‘tribal’ made it somewhat less authentic and therefore was not really valued. Fast forward, the last few years have seen a sudden surge of interest as new kids on the block enter. From photographers and sculptors to painters and textile designers, old and new now
Tope Hassan: Our team functions entirely on social media
[bctt tweet=”We successfully created a diverse and a multi-networking hub for Africans to know about each other” via=”no”] Tope Hassan, the “Disruptive Diasporan”, is the founder of ISOKO Africa. She is a multi-lingual young African entrepreneur specializing in marketing, compliance, and media to create multi-dimensional business systems where start-ups and multi-national companies can operate fairly in a corrupt free environment and standardized economy. Tope is popularly known as an African Tourist, backpacking through African nations to discover African brands and entrepreneurs; a yoga teacher dedicated to health and well-being lifestyles of professionals and entrepreneurs; as an advocate for African brands helping them reach a wider market than their local communities; and a Media and Public Speaker sharing experiences of Africa, its brands, commerce and industry, healthy lifestyles, life lessons and inspiration. She also blogs at TopeHassan.com What inspired your decision to start ISOKO Africa? I am popularly known for my passion for Africa, which is not limited to Black girl magic, Ankara print, melanin skin and all the paraphernalia that comes with it. The commercial and inter-relations sectors of Africa pumps my passion from my lifestyle to my dreams so much that African brands in all sectors are my first option before seeking foreign brands. People get shocked when I show them products/services/apps/companies that beat global standards and wonder why they never knew about it. This made me the go-to person to recommend best options for African brands. So I decided that instead of responding to tons of calls and emails per day, how about if I created a platform for African brands to reach a global target market beyond their local communities? This platform would also to help them sell their brands globally thereby gaining the recognition and market they rightly deserve. ISOKO Africa is born out of the urgent need to eradicate the popular misconceptions and stereotypes around African brands and exposing them globally. It is geared towards repositioning minds of African entrepreneurs to build their companies as brands and not just a shop/business. ISOKO Africa, a media, and marketing organization is simply “African market” in the Swahili Language. How has social media been able to help increase your productivity? When I started out last year, my focus was to inform the world that Africa has a lot to offer commercially. It’s disturbing how Africa is patronized simply for two things: its human resource and raw materials. The social media publicizes Africa as either Black girl magic and talent or famine and war zone. Our commercial brands hardly make headlines. I started podcasting through iTunes, Soundcloud, Midas Radio and other media platforms and backpacked through African nations to discover and interview remarkable entrepreneurs and thought leaders. These podcasts were publicized through social media, reaching to a diverse audience beyond Africa. Not only that, it also encouraged more Africans to use and listen to podcasts. We successfully created a diverse and a multi-networking hub for Africans to know about each other which led to trans-national sales for entrepreneurs. This ecosystem further fostered partnerships between entrepreneurs, service providers, and customers. Gradually, ISOKO Africa developed communities in several countries where we formed teams that have become voices of Africa quietly on the search for African Brands. Our team functions entirely on social media through messaging and meeting apps that have helped us to build the vision together achieving pellets of the milestone at a time. [bctt tweet=”The best way for us to build an influential online presence is to foster communities-Tope Hassan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What major social media campaign helped to increase your online presence? Kindly give details of the plan and how it worked. The campaigns that focused on community inclusion buffered our online presence. We advertised our tour of West African nations and this attracted a diverse audience and lots of entries. We asked our followers to recommend brands within their area for us to interview and received an overwhelming response. The messages recommended amazing brands interested in joining the experience of new Africa by either documenting, making videos, inviting us for a talk or simply to enjoy the trip and meeting entrepreneurs. It’s amazing to discover that Africans desire their friends and nations to be represented globally. This lead to our conclusion that the best way for us to build an influential online presence, is to foster communities. To achieve this, we Invested in awesome and relatable HD graphics and images: One of the greatest assets on our team is the graphic design and photography fellow. People are intrigued by appealing and great images. It’s easy to attract attention when they can relate to what you say. Defined our audience: Before publishing our posts, we ensure it would be appealing to our target audience. We also ensured to update our followers about each decision every step of the way. Fostered partner communities: We connected our vision online by engaging with our audience offline to build communities around our goal. We did this by partnering with similar event campaigns, communities, and movements. This helped to build trust, inclusion, and network and convert talk into action. It also got us a lot of feedback. [bctt tweet=”I use social media to showcase a positive side of Africa.- Tope Hassan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Have you ever had any downside on social media? I have had to learn how to build everything we used on our platform from the website to recording and uploading podcasts. Our platform started its content through podcasting which is relatively an untapped market in Africa. Unfortunately, social media platforms do not have the capacity to run podcasts and our listenership on the website was very poor. We ran surveys to find out how best to reach our audience and discovered that majority of African youths prefer to listen or read media on their mobile phones. This meant hosting podcasts on the website would be less effective. We changed our methods and I quickly had to learn the tricks of uploading our podcasts on iTunes, podcasts for Android, Soundcloud, Stitcher and
Chidinma Othuke-Okpokoro: Why I got into the education industry
[bctt tweet=”I wanted a job that will give me this satisfaction so opening a preschool was it for me” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Chidinma Othuke-Okpokoro is a wife, mother, and a Montessorian. Her love for kids and the family unit moved her to open an early years foundation centre – Olly’s Hive Montessori, located in the heart of Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. Her values are geared towards helping kids discover their full potential and abilities through work using the Montessori curriculum. A graduate of the University of Port Harcourt, she also holds a Diploma in Early Years Foundation stage with Modern Montessori International (MMI) London, UK. A chat with Chidinma about her startup gives us a deeper insight into the world of early years business education. How did you get into the education industry? I love children very much and enjoy their company. I have a very good relationship with kids and they are comfortable around me even if I have just met them. Then I had friends who would drop their kids with me and go about their daily routines and they urged me to look into turning it into a business venture. After I got married and lost my job, I had my son and I really wanted to be close to him and watch him grow. I have very strong family values and I desire a close knit one. I wanted a job that will give me this satisfaction so, opening a preschool was it for me. Finally, I set up one in September 2013. Did you decide to only focus on preschool? Why? When I started, I decided to run just the preschool for a while and be grounded in it. The early years period, also known as the sensitive period, is very crucial in the life of a child. We must take advantage of this period to aid them to reach their full potential. From 0-5 years, the child should be exposed to a prepared environment. The sensitive periods are blocks of time in the life of a child when he or she is absorbed with one characteristic of his environment to the exclusion of others. Education today is said to be expensive in Nigeria – why do you think that is? Yes, education is expensive and this is because of the resources (Montessori materials) that need to be put in place to aid the child in his development. These resources are incorporated into the fees. Montessori materials are the very best to use to help a child. A lot of funds must be made available to make this work. Does it mean schools that aren’t expensive lack basic educational tools for the child? Well, yes! Montessori schools need a lot of resources in place to help a child develop. Materials are usually sourced abroad. You have to be trained and constantly improve your personal skills to ensure you are up to date in line with the requirements. Getting teachers who are qualified to teach the Montessori method is a challenge because not everyone is exposed to it. You have to train these teachers to fully assist the child in their care. Not so many people are familiar with the Montessori method of education in Port Harcourt or Nigeria. A lot of people are used to the traditional method of teaching which is stressful and difficult for children to grasp. Traditional schools lack the tools needed to help the child develop and fit in properly into the environment they live in. Would you say we have a lot of young women like you in the education sector today? My answer to this would be yes. I know and have friends who are working so hard and succeeding in this area. These women have inspired me and keep pushing me to work hard. I see how passionate they are, how much time they spend giving of their energy to help kids and ensure they get the education they need to thrive in the society. [bctt tweet=”Children are the leaders of tomorrow and what better way to be a part if this than impacting the life of child?” via=”no”] What key things should we know about investing in a child? We all will reap the rewards of well-behaved children in the society. Raising good children means better societies, free from danger and crime. If we focus our energies on children, understand them, we should be able to provide for an educational system that will help solve problems faced by the world instead of going to wars. Is there a difference between schooling and educating? Please enlighten us. Yes, there is a big difference. Schooling is done in school. Education can happen anywhere. Education to me means something of high standard and schooling is whatever quality a school offers. Schooling is the teaching of students and hoping that they retain the knowledge and later learn to apply it in life. That’s where education comes in. [bctt tweet=”To have an education is proof that not only have we learned what knowledge was offered to us” via=”no”] Where there start-up challenges? Please kindly share them. Oh yes, as with every business, there were challenges. There were days I would come in to work and cry for so many hours praying to God to help me. I didn’t have the number of kids I dreamt of when I started and this was because of the location of the school. I set it up in an area where the market wasn’t favourable. Lesson learnt. It was difficult to get qualified teachers and pay them the fees that would make them stay. The ones I got didn’t really have my vision and I was constantly frustrated. There was the need for a school bus and I initially used my personal car to do school runs. This really pushed me to continue no matter what. Would you say that the education business is a profitable venture? Why? All businesses are profitable, I bet no one would venture into
Olapeju Jolaoso: Social media is amazing for business
[bctt tweet=”Social media has been a wonderful tool for me and my business – Olapeju Omolade Jolaoso” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Olapeju Jolaoso is #MotherlandMogul goals. She is the founder of Abebi Organics which produces amazing organic and healthy handmade Shea Butter-based skin and hair care products. Her hope is to become the go-to person for organic skincare in Nigeria and the world in the nearest future. When she isn’t running Abebi Organics, Olapeju is in class. She is currently an undergraduate at the University of Ilorin where she is studying Geography and Environmental Management. Are your products handmade by you/your team or are you a retailer of another manufacturer? All my products, except coconut oil, are handmade by me. Due to my ongoing education, I have a separate manufacturer for the coconut oil because there is barely any time for me to make it. How have you been able to use social media to gather publicity for your brand? I got the inspiration for my business offline however, social media has helped in the growth and development by bringing customers, logistic services and so on. I use social media for free advertisement and it has really helped. People off social media have seen my ads, liked, retweeted, shared and also referred me off social media. It’s an amazing tool. How do you ensure that your product remains hassle-free from the point of order to point of delivery? Kindly explain how the sales chain works? Products going from point of order to point of delivery hassle free is actually very difficult. Most times the issue stems from logistics. You have to hope and pray that once you give the delivery person the orders, they don’t mess them, mix them up or deliver it to the customer late or even not at all. Sometimes, these things happen. You just have to keep communicating with the customer to ensure they have peace of mind and that you don’t lose them. The sales chain goes from me to the delivery personnel and from the delivery personnel to the customer or whoever is available to pick up on the customer’s behalf. [bctt tweet=”Twitter has been the most helpful social media network for my brand- Olapeju Omolade Jolaoso ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What major social media channel do you make use of and how has it been beneficial to the brand? I make use of Twitter the most. It’s been the most helpful. We also use Instagram, Whatsapp, Facebook and WordPress but the major tool is Twitter. Twitter has a way of spreading your adverts. It doesn’t stay in one place. It goes from timeline to timeline. This ensures that other people who aren’t even following you see the posts and get curious thereby giving them a chance to send you a message. Also, twitter handlers can also direct their followers to your page and it’s amazing. It’s been super beneficial. We got the person who made our logo and the lawyer who registered us via Twitter. We hope to get investors via twitter too! That’ll be exciting. It’s a great marketing tool. Do you think social media alone is sufficient in helping your business gain more prominence? If yes/no, kindly share your reason. Although social media is a major tool, and mostly the best tool we have at hand right now to help our business and bring in customers, I don’t think social media alone is helping us gain more prominence. There are other channels that’ll be beneficial to us as much as social media has. We just haven’t explored them yet. Social media is amazing because we get to network with other businesses and we get a ton of customers from it. Social media is affordable, it doesn’t take too much but it gives back a lot. What challenges have you faced on social media? None really, and I hope it stays that way. But then, sometimes it’s like we aren’t reaching enough people. Sometimes I feel like we aren’t doing enough on social media to bring in a lot of customers. [bctt tweet=”I’d definitely advise anyone to use social media as a marketing tool. – Olapeju Omolade Jolaoso” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What would your response be to someone who is contemplating whether or not to use social media as a marketing tool? I will tell them to definitely go for it. Social media has been a wonderful tool for me and my business. I’d definitely advise them to use social media as a marketing tool. It’s amazing. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Oluwaseyitan Awojobi: I am motivated when I see people growing
[bctt tweet=”Skill empowerment has become the best way to thrive as an individual” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Oluwaseyitan Awojobi is the founder of Developing Afrika. Developing Afrika is an initiative set up to empower young people with skills needed to become an entrepreneur at little or no fee, thrive as entrepreneurs and establish a sustainable business. Using social media she has raised an army of goal-oriented youth a and has succeeded in helping so many others reach their goal through free training. What was your motivation in creating Developing Afrika? In an environment where there are lots of unemployed yet talented youths, the crime rate has surged. There is also a decrease in proper jobs. Skill empowerment has become the best way to thrive as an individual whether male or female. I came up with this idea in 2013 as a fresh graduate with the aim to target young secondary school students. However, due to limited resources and knowledge, I decided to put it on hold. What has helped you to carry on so far? Starting the journey now has been the most fulfilling thing I believe I have done. I am motivated seeing people grow, seeing people achieve their dreams. It hurts to hear that people who want to achieve certain things are unable to due to financial restraints or finding the right mentors. Being able to create that solution makes the difference to me. When I tell people what I do, the first reaction I get is, “What’s in it for you, what’s your financial gain?” When I say nothing they go, “There has to be something you are gaining. What kind of business model is that.” I have learned to look beyond the snide comments and focus on the goal which is to reduce unemployment and help people achieve their dreams. I believe we can make Africa a continent to be reckoned with in the world. [bctt tweet=”It hurts to hear that people who want to achieve certain things are unable to due to financial restraints” via=”no”] How did your growing up shape who you are today? I wasn’t born with a silver spoon, neither was I born poor. I didn’t have all I wanted, I still do not. However, I learnt to see opportunities in every situation. I have had disappointments just like everyone else but I have also learned to rise above them and see the beauty in life. Life is beautiful to everyone who chooses to see it so. What are your thoughts on women-owned enterprises? I believe very much in women in enterprise. I support women working for themselves, being independent, and supporting people around them. Also, I believe that irrespective of the girl power, all women must respect their husbands or partners as it has been commanded by God. Women can only learn this by learning to support themselves in their actions first not just by words. What does your average day look like? On an average day, when I’m not on the move, I’m in my shorts and top, exchanging emails and closing deals. I also spend time running my business and praising God. I try to watch interesting movies too when time permits. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Tejumade Adefioye-Dairo: Social media helps me reach my target market
[bctt tweet=”Lazy sellers online are often competitive – Tejumade Adefioye-Dairo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tejumade Adefioye-Dairo is a graduate of Industrial Chemistry from Bowen University, Nigeria. She is also the founder of Haute Global company. Her brand, Haute Signatures specializes in the sale of handbags, shoes, jewelry, and sunglasses. When Tejumola is not thinking about new bag designs, she is looking for the next best fashion deals for her clients online. In this interview, she shares here growth from personal shopper to #MotherlandMogul and how she has used social media to grow her brand. What inspired you to start your brand? I started as a personal shopper but I got tired of traveling as a personal shopper. Also, I wanted to start a brand for Nigerians and sell at the same price or even more affordable than other international stores. How have you used social media to grow your brand’s publicity? I have profiles/pages on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I put more concentration on Instagram because it gives me the opportunity to reach a larger audience and my target market is mainly on Instagram. [bctt tweet=”I have faced several challenges promoting my brand online- Tejumade Adefioye-Dairo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are some of the challenges you have faced online while trying to promote your brand? I have faced quite a number of challenges but the three biggest ones have been; Trust – Lots of Nigerians have been scammed online so they find it difficult to pay for items they have not seen. Competition from lazy people who just steal your pictures, brand it as theirs and try to rip off innocent people or buy from us and sell at ridiculous prices. Logistics problem in Nigeria. Fast delivery comes really expensive and people won’t want to buy a product of 500-5000 and have to pay as high as 2000 for delivery. Describe your product retail stages. How does your product move from your store to the final consumer after an online purchase? First, I think of and imagine a design, then I contact my manufacturer and we agree on a price. They produce the items and ship them to me. The last stage is marketing and sales. Which social media platform has been a better contribution to your sales? Instagram Are you satisfied with the current progress of your social media channels? Give reasons for your answer. No. There are still much more people who need to know of our brand. What advice would you give to someone who is intending to begin a social media business? Calm down and please keep investing your profit. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.