Are you interested in exhibiting & flash sales? Well, you’re in for a treat.
It is our tradition to host an exhibition where attendees get the opportunity to buy quality Nigerian creative products on a large scale. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, we decided to host a limited number of brands at a one of a kind offline and online shopping experience.
We will be hosting you physically at the venue and virtually at flash sales which will showcase quality fast-selling creative products and you can buy them at the click of a button.
The watchword at Bellafricana is Quality, to this effect; I can assure you of the availability of top-quality creative African-owned businesses at the flash sales.
The 4 focus categories for the exhibition are:
Arts & Crafts
Fashion
Health & Beauty
Home & Living
Limited slots for 20 brands only; BOOK NOW before it’s SOLD OUT.
Want to exhibit or take part in the flash sales? Or you know of any amazing creative/innovative product that falls within any of the aforementioned categories? Reach out to us at [email protected] and inform us (don’t wait too long) and we will get back to you within 24 hours. Or get them to simply register [see link below].
Here are some of the benefits of flash sales:
Access to New Market
Sales and New Contacts
Opportunity to Participate at future events/exhibitions
Gain Valuable Knowledge
Whether you’re selling, exhibiting or buying; this is one event you don’t want to miss.
Venue: Offline at the Event Venue – BWC HOTELS, 1228B Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos Nigeria (Opposite Eko Atlantic). And Online on Bellafricana Marketplace Website – www.bellafricanashop.com
Date: 29th & 30th October, 2021
Time: 10am – 4pm
Cost: Early Bird: ₦20,000 (for Bellafricana members), and ₦30, 000 (for non-members).
Late registration:₦25,000 (for Bellafricana members ) and ₦35,000 (for non-members).
The Creative Connect is an event created purposefully for creative entrepreneurs to meet, connect, bond and network amongst themselves. It provides access to a networking session with SME owners, creative entrepreneurs, Industry leaders and creatives from all walks of life discussing how they settled into work during the pandemic and moving forward; essential business advice, collaborations and so much more.Bellafricana is always finding ways to help both upcoming and established creatives to harness the resources available to build their businesses stronger. And this event is just one of them.
In that same vein, we would be giving business support worth $2,500to several lucky creative entrepreneurs.
The Creatives Connect Theme:“Connect, Converse and Collaborate”
Date: October 29, 2021
Venue: BWC HOTELS, 1228B Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos Nigeria (Opposite Eko Atlantic).
Meet the Founder of Netyarts. Ms. Neti Usman, a mother whose love for Arts and Craft, colours and culture, drove her to become an entrepreneur. One that enjoys sharing her art with the world. Today, we had a chance to meet up with her for an exclusive interview.
NETI USMAN FOUNDER OF NETYARTS
Without further ado, let’s meet the Founder of Netyarts.
Please introduce yourself and your background
My name is NETI USMAN. I’m from a large family, although I am from Edo state I was born in Lagos State, Olodi – Apapa to be precise. I’ve always been fascinated with Arts and Craft right from secondary school. This drove me into pursuing a diploma in Arts from the University of Lagos and got my first degree in Textile Design from the University of Lagos. I also served at Lagos State council for arts and culture. This only fostered my love for Arts, humanity, culture and heritage, which led me to start my own company – NETYARTS
Tell us about your work. How did your company start?
On paper, Netyarts officially started this year but I’ve been on this a long time. So Netyarts started from when I was a student. I was making these beautiful pieces for my friends and their friends but to me, it was just my art and what I enjoyed doing, which also got me money [laughs]. This continued after I finished school and kept pushing it, until I got nominated for Best Indigenous Textile at the ACE Awards, hosted by Bellafricana in 2017. I thought to myself, being recognised for my work, something I love doing is probably a sign that I invest more time into it and take it to the next level. And so I did.
The NETYARTS is into ADIRE Arts and Craft, Handmade, Hand-dyed brand, that produces and promotes handmade and Hand-dyed, creative unique premium quality textile designs on clothing and crafts.
Our products are indigenous motif that tells a story about our culture and heritage. These motifs are created on cotton fabric chiffon, lace, silk, Jersey pashmina/scarfs, polo/ T-shirt, joggers set, silk viscous, Linen and even denim. All our products are durable and colourful.
We also produce end use products like ready to wear, Adire caps, handmade and printed notepads, mugs, shoes, bags, accessories, socks, painting, drawing, string art, interiors décor, and mural. Using resist method like Batik, stitches known as Shibori, starch known as Eleko, and tie-and-dye.
Furthermore, we train and empower women, youth and kids in schools. This also helps to preserve art tradition, culture, rich heritage and textile making skills in Nigeria.
NETYARTS empowering women and youth in craft at the Lagos state council for arts and cultureNetyarts training kids on how to create their own designs on t-shirt and dye
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
Netifah is the name given to me by my parents which means blessing and so I decided to be a blessing to others through art. How? Through training, empowering and producing. I simply shortened the name and added art to it – Netyarts.
Art is the expression of human creative skills and imagination in a visual form.
Netyarts is a blessing of creative beauty.
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
I had no idea that it was a market to get into at first. Textile Designing is large and vast. I love changing colours and find to very fascinating. Our indigenous Adire fabric is becoming a very appreciating work of art all over the world. Many self-expression fashion designers draw inspiration from it, same as me.
Where do you get the inspiration for your products?
Self-expression – imagination, the society.
The more I improve myself, the more I can help the world around me. I have the power to spread love to each and every person that crosses my path through my art.
Can you remember one of the first products you made? What makes it memorable?
The first product I made was a motif on paper and I had to do an appliqué on the fabric and dye, was an old comb design from the Gambia’s ancient sculpture so I had to do an appliqué using shibori stitched resist, before dying, seeing it on my mum makes it very memorable, unique and beautiful.
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
Every business has its own challenges and for my industry, I have encountered a few.
The cost of the production. On a few occasions we get questions and remarks about the “extravagant price” on some of our items and some assume that because it’s locally made then it should be very affordable – cheap. But the reality of it all is that if the quality of the fabric and the originality of the chemical isn’t good, the end result would be terrible. All our fabrics ranging from cotton down to denim are of superior quality, which is expensive to get, and that is why the dye craft and resist motif come out looking rich and vibrant while the fabric still remains in perfect condition after going through numerous dyeing processes.
The process. Due to the fact that everything regarding the making of adire is handmade, the production process might seem slow because of the different motif and resist being used. More so, the weather climate plays a major role in our process. Excessive rainfall could hinder post production [the drying stage].
What problems does your company solve?
Empowerment. Youths and children, especially women need to be empowered. We give them skills that the can use to fend for themselves.
Do you have any regrets venturing into this line of business?
Not at all. Although I wish I knew half of what I know now. It would have probably made the journey a lot easier [laughing]. But one must go through the process.
What is your most popular product?
Well, many but I’d probably go with UWA (WEALTH) JOGGERS.
The UWA 2piece cropped hoodie and joggers by NetyartsUWA COLLECTIONUWA COLLECTION MADE BY NETYARTS
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian (African) heritage for your work?
Adire is a handmade and hand-dyed unique part of our heritage/ culture – Africa (Nigeria). Netyarts is a reflection of this and that is relevant.
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
My short term goals is for NETYARTS be able to produce and create more intricate designs successfully for more customers. Also to collaborate with big fashion brands, celebrities and even boutiques. To be a household name in the industry.
The long term goal is to build a very large NETYARTS ADIRE EMPIRE with several branches around the world. Creating employment and simply creating.
In what way has being an entrepreneur affected your life?
I never liked being micro-managed. Always knew that I would be my own boss. Plus it has given me more confidence in my works. Pushed me to do and be better. I see business in a very different way now.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I wish people know I genuinely love to help with anything related to the Adire and craft artworld, by impacting my knowledge of Adire and craft to the world.
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this Industry?
If not for NETYARTS ADIRE BUSINESS, I would have been a dancer 💃
What is success to you?
Success to me is accomplishing a certain set of goals not necessarily motivated by money. Although money is the Koko[laughs], but by creating with creativity, passion and hard-work, also impacting my knowledge and skills in the society through Adire and art.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
We might lack capital and resources, but what we don’t lack is our ability to create unique designs, sketch the designs you want make, start small and never give up.
Who [and or what] has been your greatest source of inspiration?
Firstly God has been and will continue to be my greatest source of inspiration. My kids, friends, community.
If you were to do a biopic of your life, what would you name it?
NETY, THE WHOLE 30YARDS OF ESTHETIC
Here are some of her products.
Raining flowers motif batik polo by NetyartsFigure cutting on t-shirt batik by NetyartsMulticolored peplum jacket on high quality fabric by NetyartsVintage batik on cotton fabric by Netyarts
You can connect with NETIFAH USMAN through social media:
I know it can be hard and frustrating at times but you can make ‘NO’ a positive experience. It is difficult to accent the positive when you are telemarketing your own services/products. Telemarketing can be a frustrating task. Statistically, a 10% response rate is an outstanding result – even when it is being performed by professional telemarketers. So you must prepare yourself to hear “No thank you” a lot.
How to Make No a Positive Experience.
Don’t Overwork Yourself
First, and most important, don’t get on the phone more than five hours a day. Any longer than that will make the experience frustrating (even if you incorporate the following proven tips).
Give Yourself A Break, Or Two, Or even Three
Take a 10 minute break after the first hour of calls. Take another 10 minute break after the next hour and a half. And so on.
Structuring breaks into your phone schedule gives you a better edge psychologically. Not only your mind, but your voice, needs the rest. You will find yourself compartmentalizing your work schedule into three or four goal-oriented phone sessions a day, rather than view it as one, long, exhausting day on the phone. Also, if you’re behind schedule or want to get home early, don’t try to tough it out and skip a break or two. You’ll be more effective on the phone if you allow yourself time to rest on a regular basis.
Each ‘No’ Is Another Step Closer to ‘Yes’
This does not mean turning each ‘No‘ into a ‘Yes.’ We’re just putting the negative response in proper perspective. Always remember that it’s a numbers game!
Like I said before, telemarketing yields a 5% to 10% positive response rate. Two wrongs don’t make a right, but nine ‘no’s do statistically yield a ‘yes.’ Every ‘No thank you’ you hear is an expected response that you can mark down as part of an ongoing process. If you dial the phone knowing that, on average, every tenth person you talk with will respond positively. You then eliminate the frustration and have a goal to work towards.
It will also make you a more confident and effective telemarketer. How? Simple. When you do talk with the one-in-ten respondent who replies with a, “Sure, I’ll be glad to schedule a meeting with you (or buy your product),” you won’t be or sound surprised. Just professional. And when you’re on the phone conducting business, you definitely want to sound confident and professional.
Finally, do have a script well prepared and handy before making these calls. Talking off your head is not advisable as you might miss [or skip] one or more vital information that is needed. The script would serve as a guide, as you’ve written down pointers.
Remember, there will always be no as answers but it that would make the yes more rewarding.
I always leave a message, especially if it’s important. And I have found out that it works.
You are calling a prospect again to remind him or her of your services. You ended into a voice mail again, just like you were the last time you called. And the time before that. And the time before that. What should you do?
Leave another message? Hang up and try again next week with the hopes of finally getting through to a real person?
Leave a message. Pleasant persistence always wins. Leave a message [text or voice mail] just often enough to remind your prospect of your services or product. But don’t call so often that you actually are making a nuisance of yourself.
Why Should You Leave A Message?
You are gaining recognition for your product or services. You may not get through to your prospect this time or next, but the information you leave will.
For another, you are building rapport with your prospect even if you are not making direct contact. Your continued calling will convince your prospect that your are consistent, and persistent.
Finally, you are being informative. One of your products or services might be a sales item. You need to let your prospect know this so they have an opportunity to take advantage of the discount.
Keep your Messages short
This is important as you may be perceived as being “the intolerable nuisance” you think you are becoming. Remember KISS? Keep It Short and Simple.
Tell most of the important information first. Do not dawdle. Mentioning the benefits your services or product will provide first and then how to contact you.
At the end of the message, leave your phone number and/or web site address. Repeat your name, company name, and phone number one more time out of courtesy to the prospect so he or she doesn’t have to repeat the message.
In case your prospect finally decides to pick up the phone and return your call. And they will, you have already laid the ground work, making you one step closer to making a sale.
Telemarketing should never be undermined, as it could make or break your company. It could even improve or worsen the sales growth of the business. Note, asides from physical and virtual communication, phone calls are a more direct form of communicating. Understandably, not everyone can be good at telemarketing. Here are Telemarketing tips you should know.
Effective telemarketing campaigns are targeted to customers and prospects that are most likely to respond. They broaden the names of your products, services, or company to the prospects you want to reach.
There are generally two types of telemarketing programs:
One that generates a sale or close.
One that generates a request for more information.
Which one works for your company, of course, depends upon what type of product or service you are selling. It may be possible to sell your products or services right over the phone. Or it could require an additional appointment for a demonstration with a salesperson. The type of product or service, its complexity, and whether it is hard to sell or not, will also determine the type of telemarketing program you should develop. So when planning your campaign, keep in mind all these factors.
I advice that if your product or service is relatively inexpensive and can be demonstrated easily, using the telemarketing campaign as a way of “selling” appointments or even the product or service, go ahead as it can lead to the conclusion of the sale right over the phone!
If the prospect feels that your product or service is expensive, they generally require more information before they purchase or even consent to a demonstration. In these cases, you may want to design a campaign that triggers a Request for more information.
You must also keep in mind that the more expensive the item you sell, the higher up on the chain of command the decision-maker will be. You need to find out who the proper decision-maker would be, and if they were willing to receive more information on the product or service you are providing.
Furthermore, try calling to verify addresses. Reminding them of your product or service. No hard sell involved, as you are just checking in.
Are there really apps for entrepreneurs? Well, yes, there are! Being an entrepreneur you know the importance of time management. I mean, you have a lot of things to handle, meetings to attend, workers to communicate with daily, receipts to keep at hand, accounts to track, you name it! So do you really need irrelevant apps?
Your plate is full, and you have to do everything in 24 hours!
24 hours is not even enough to begin with because you have to manage your time properly, stay organized, become tech/social media savvy, boost productivity, and also maintain your sanity as well as your personal life because your business will drain you!
So with all that, and very little time, believe me, you do not need Candy Crush, 4 Pics 1 Word, or any other irrelevant app that is not keeping you organised or even helping you.
I am not an entrepreneur yet, but I am conscious of the apps I have because even I need to stay organised and have everything in check as I am also busy sometimes. Candy Crush is an app I can use to unwind when I need a break; but I do not have it because at some point, it can be a distraction.
So, as an entrepreneur, how do you stay organised in order to get work done? Simple! You have to incorporate productivity apps to keep you on track.
Whether it is on your phone or on your laptop (although I use my phone more), after reading this post, go through your apps and do some cleaning. Delete the irrelevant ones and download the ones you really need.
So keep reading to find out what apps you should have in order to help you manage your time and remain productive.
1. Evernote:
Photo Credit: lifehack.org
As an entrepreneur, innovative ideas can hit you no matter where you are. While most people have jotters where they write down their ideas (I do, sometimes), you cannot go everywhere with the jotter but when it comes to your phone, it goes everywhere with you.
Whether you are on the road, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, at the movies, or anywhere, your phone is almost always in your hand. But in the case of your jotter, when the idea hits you, how will you write it down? This is where Evernote comes in; so toss your jotter!
Evernoteis an app that works both online and offline; making it easily accessible. It helps you manage your life by collecting, uploading and sharing your ideas in whatever form, be it as a photo, audio, web clip or document.
It is basically like your offline book where you scribble your thoughts and ideas. I am a writer so often times, ideas come to me when I least expect it. My phone helps me scribble everything down so I can always go back to it later and Evernote has proven to be so helpful in retaining my ideas.
Evernote helps you stay organized on all your devices (phone, laptop, iPad), and you can sync all your files to ensure they are updated on all your devices; enabling you to continue from where you stopped.
You can also clip web pages, create to-do lists, set voice reminders, record memo, edit and scan documents, search for your tasks, and capture photos on the go. What more could you possibly need? It is one of the best business apps for entrepreneurs.
2. Instapaper:
Photo credit: Zapier
As an entrepreneur, you still want to catch up on everything going on around you. Maybe read about the government’s latest venture on a news site, or read an article, or you found something interesting online; but you are too busy to read it.
You have to rush to the office or quickly fix up something for the kids so you close the page and focus on what you have to do. Well, thanks to Instapaper, you no longer have to close the page. Instapaper is an app that lets you save an article so you can easily read it at a convenient time that suits you.
The best part is that you can save an article, video, song lyrics or whatever you come across on the internet! How cool is that?
I am someone who is always on the internet searching for new things to read; and most times whenever I open an article, I may have to run off to do something or go somewhere.
With Instapaper, I just click and save it then after whatever I was doing, or when i get back home from work especially, I lay down, open Instapaper and read my saved article without having to find the web page in my browser history.
Another amazing thing about this app is that it syncs whatever you save so you can easily read it on all my devices (phone, computer, iPad and Kindle). So no matter where you are, you can read the saved article on your phone/laptop; anywhere and anytime, even offline.
It also enables you highlight a text on an article, like you would on a physical book (with a marker), so you can easily find it, quote and share it if you want to. One of the best apps for entrepreneurs to connect with things outside work.
3. LinkedIn:
Photo Credit: thenextweb.com
Asides the most popular social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Whatsapp), Linkedin is a social network I think you should definitely join, if you are an aspiring entrepreneur.
LinkedInis one of the best apps for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to build business relationships with everyone. It helps you search for jobs, industries, location, people (based on their qualification) and stay in touch with everyone.
In short, if you are an aspiring entrepreneur looking to make connections, LinkedIn is the app you need. It is particularly made for business professionals to connect as it helps you build connections, build a customer base, build partnerships, and basically just put your business out there.
It also enables you share your ideas and grow your brand whilst keeping up with everything relevant to your line of work. One of the best networking apps for entrepreneurs.
4. Buffer:
Photo Credit: Buffer.com
Sometimes maintaining your online reputation can be difficult, even though it it is necessary. You want your brand to stand out and as such, promoting on social media is very important.
With so many social networks to promote on, handling everything can be a bit overwhelming (I know it is for me). You have to share and promote on all your social networks, which takes up much of your time because you have to create content, use relevant hashtags, respond to comments, alongside other things you have to do.
If it frustrates you as much as it frustrates me then you are in luck, because of Buffermakes everything easier.
Buffer is one of the best productivity apps for entrepreneurs as it enables you plan and schedule social media posts according to whatever time suits you…phew! That is one work load off your shoulder.
It is super helpful because it enables you plan and publish contents on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest ahead of time.
So you can plan all your contents for the week at your convenient time, save them to your draft and schedule all of them to be published at a specific day and time. Your personal social media genie!
You can also track your posts performance, create reports and get recommendations to increase engagement. Social media marketing campaigns just got better!
5. Skype:
Photo Credit: Betanews.com
As an entrepreneur with staffs and business partners in different locations around the world, you know that communication is important for the growth of your business.
Making calls requires a lot of credit, which also requires a lot of money, and travelling all the time to follow-up on your business dealings is time, energy and money consuming.
Thankfully, you can now keep up with all your business dealings on-the-go (probably how Otedola keeps up with his business; because he is always travelling).
It is simple; you just need Skype! Skype is one the best communication apps for entrepreneurs as it helps you keep in touch with employees and business partners no matter the location. If you are in UK and your partner is in Hong Kong, you no longer need to travel that far to close any dealing; all you need is Skype.
How do you think most of these huge companies with offices around the world operate? Regardless. this is also one of the best apps for small business owners looking to expand and grow their business.
Skype has improved connectivity in the world of business as you no longer have to travel for conferences, business meetings, or to check the affairs of your work in another state. All you have to do is schedule, and communicate with whoever on the go.
Personally for me, I consider Skype a time management and productivity app for entrepreneurs because you no longer have to worry about travelling constantly to handle business dealings.
Now, with Skype, from the comfort of your office, you can message or call clients, business partners, investors or employees around the world, whilst carrying out your normal business activities.
The best part is that you can message/call multiple people all at the same time, with audio/video call, and you can share pictures and videos across; all with a data plan or WIFI. Say “goodbye” to stressful business trips and “hello” to comfortable business.
The 3rd Edition of the African Creative Exhibition and Awards (ACE Awards) is back and the nominations have begun! ACE Awards, which brings together the best creative minds in the fields of Arts and Crafts, Fashion, Beauty, Food produce and snacks. This ceremony is organized yearly to recognize creative entrepreneurs in the aforementioned categories; with this year’s theme being “Creativity and Innovation in Nation Building”.
ACE AWARDS NOMINATION BEGINS
Creative Entrepreneurs and consumers of their products can now send in their nominations. The categories are listed below.
CATEGORIES
Best Indigenous Textile Designer
Best Beauty Brand
Best Fashion Brand (Clothing, Shoes)
Best Startup of the Year
Best Accessories Brand (Jewellery, Bags)
Best Eco-friendly Product Innovation
Best Innovative Product of the Year
Best Pioneer Craftsman/woman of the Year (Over 10 years)
Best Food Produce Innovation
Best Creative Children’s Brand
Best Creative Child Entrepreneur
Best Creative Social Enterprise of the Year
Best Arts & Crafts Person
Best Home & Lifestyle Brand
Best emerging African Brand
In showing our support and in accordance with what we do at Bellafricana, we would be granting 3 lucky Creative Entrepreneurs with the sum of ₦300,000 naira to help support their businesses.
Grant Eligibility Requirements
The candidate must be a Creative Entrepreneur.
Candidates must be nominated for the ACE Awards.
The candidate must have a valid business that falls within one of the following niches:
Fashion,
Arts & craft,
Health & Beauty,
Home & living,
Food produces & snacks industry.
Steps to Participate/How to apply
Follow @bell_africana on Instagram
Repost this flyer on your page, tag us as well as your friends
Fill out the form on our website – www.aceawardsafrica.com/nominate
When posting, use the hashtags: #ACE2021 #ACEAwards2021 and #Bellafricana
It’s wellness & Style week for Exquisite Magazine as they turn 18!
About the Wellness and Style Week by Exquisite Magazine [EM]
The wellness and style week by EM is an online event being organised by Exquisite Magazine to commemorate 18 years of being in the media, fashion, beauty, entertainment and lifestyle industry.
The Wellness and Style Week by EM is set to promote self care and stress management, keeping fit and healthy, looking good on the inside and outside to continue to empower confidence and style in women.
The Wellness and Style Week by EM
Over the one week from the 20th of September to 26th of September 2021, there will be online speaking sessions by experts in the industry on the mindset, fitness, nutrition, style, beauty and discount shopping with our partners.
There will also be 2 challenges where participants can win various gifts such as:
Different beauty products,
Spa vouchers,
Cinema vouchers,
Nutrition plan,
Personal development books and
Shopping vouchers.
The calendar shows all the activities online and offline. There will be access to discount shopping, whilst keeping fit, looking stylish and feeling confident.
Participants also get the chance to win a wardrobe worth N150k plus more goodies when they join in all the activities during the Wellness and Style Week 2021.
Meet the Founder of Handmadepreneur-(Exclusive Interview).
Adewumi-Inenemo Aminah is the CEO of Handmadepreneur. An indigene of Ikare Akoko North East Ondo state, and a graduate of industrial chemistry. A mother of 5, whose passion to creatively design handmade bags emerged after passing through pains of getting good bags of her taste for her kids and then decided to take the bull by the horn. She is a multitasking individual, always willing to improve her skills, determined to have her impact felt in her immediate environment and the world at large.
Adewumi-Inenemo Aminah is the CEO of Handmadepreneur.
I am very excited to be introducing this amazing Founder and her brand to you. Keep reading to Meet the Founder of Handmadepreneur-(Exclusive Interview)
Please introduce yourself and your background
I am Adewumi-Inenemo Aminah. A graduate of industrial chemistry from the great University of Benin. I hail from Ikate Akoko North East Ondo state.
Tell us about your work. How did your company start?
I started Handmadepreneur in 2019 after my epistle of searching for a bag of my choice in 2018 as an expectant mum of a set of twins. Since I couldn’t get any, it occurred to me that many Nigerians face this problem of not being able to tweak their bag of choice since their quest for a durable, quality and well finished bag is top priority.
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
Handmadepreneur came from the fact that I wanted the name handmade emblazoned in my products and as my name as it would also depict to people that the bags are handmade. I then added –preneur from the word entrepreneur.
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
My niche are families with kids under age of 19 as I saw most mothers face the problem of getting the right bag for their toddlers, young ones in elementary or themselves, in terms of packing both their personal items and that of their children all in one piece; this is typical to the African woman. Also I realised from my survey that most mothers wish their kids bags are like ‘this or that’ due to their own peculiarity and because they are yet to find that Nigerian bag maker who gives them their bag the way they want it, they opt for imported ones to solve one of their quest.
Where do you get the inspiration for your products?
I get them from narrations of pains parents discuss with finding their bags and my imagination of possibilities of what a bag could have.
Can you remember one of the first products you made? What makes it memorable?
Our multi-pocket diaper bag. It was sold out before I blinked my eyes. Mothers loved it for its features such as, lots of pockets, it’s ability to keep their baby’s items all in one place and organized.
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
Structure! Getting the right personnel and marketing right.
Do you have any regrets venturing into this line of business?
None. Not even a tiny bit.
What is your most popular product?
School backpack and lunch bag.
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian (African) heritage for your work?
For now we are not much of African but soon we intend bringing in the African touch. Making our own arts of African heritage on our bags.
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
To be a brand that would be a game changer to many women, by providing them with trainings, and an opportunity to provide employment for themselves.
To improve my business skills by taking a business management course in 2022.
Get certified internationally as a bag designer.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
That I am a star chemistry teacher. 😂 I mean students loved my class and wondered why I left.
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this Industry?
Teaching. I would be a teacher but then again, we are all teaching, in one form or the other.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
Never think small. Always aim at the best and you will see how you will work to achieve it
And finally, please share images of some of your work and tell us a little about each product
Rucksack by Handemadepreneur
For adults and secondary school students. Strong, spacious and can be made to suit client specification.
Lattern Bag by Handemadepreneur
Lattern bag. ‘Shakara bag’ as most client calls it. Unique and portable for few items only.
Ankara laptop bag by Handemadepreneur
This Ankara Laptop Bag is water proof, well padded and well spacious with two way carriage. Nice and long lasting zippers. Available in 3 sizes depending on your laptop size.
Maxi lunch bag by Handemadepreneur
Maxi lunch bag. Available in varying sizes keeps food hot up to 6 hours. Inner leather linen with a foreign insulator. Can be made also with Adire or Ankara
Handmadepreneur
Handmadepreneur is a handmade bag shop that offers high quality branded bags which suits a wide selection of every taste suitable for various occasion. Their beautifully designed backpack, lunch bags, ladies handbags, men bags, souvenir bags, pouches would leave you with no choice than acquiring them.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
