[dropcap custom_class=”normal”] Bimbeads Concept Founder and CEO, Bimbo Balogun, is an exceptionally talented and focused lady. I am indeed excited to introduce her to you today. I am sure there’s a lot we all can learn from her.
When we meet such interesting individuals at Bellafricana we don’t keep how wonderful they are to ourselves alone. We generously give you an insight to how amazing they are. So come on beautiful people, let’s meet Bimbo Balogun, founder of Bimbeads … [/dropcap] Continue reading
Oluwatosin is the Creative Director at Jedidiah’s Place and has a City and Guilds Certificate in Creative Techniques in Textiles, a Diploma in Jewellery Design and Repair and was tutored privately in designing and making leather handbags in the United Kingdom by Katherine Pogson. She is at present working on another diploma in Jewellery design, which has a business module. She has handmade and sold accessories over a five-year period. She is also a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and has practiced law for over 20 years. Let’s meet her…
Q & A
Please introduce yourself and your background.
My name is Oluwatosin Lewis. I am a Lawyer by formal training and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992. I was in full time legal practice from 1993 till 2013 when I started my business – Jedidiahs Place. I am what you will call a Designer Maker. I work in different kind of media. I also run my own law firm along with my business.
Please tell us about your work. How did Jedidiah’s Place start?
Jedidiah’s Place is an accessory design and manufacture business. Our main products are genuine leather bags. However, we have introduced series of small leather and fabric goods, some semi precious stone jewellery, craft kits for adults and children and one-on-one training. We are also in the process of publishing some eBooks. The whole concept of Jedidiahs Place started some eight to nine years ago through a simple act of one of my cousins resident in the United Kingdom. She sent me a book on glass painting and said when she saw it in a bookstore, it had reminded her of me! I was really surprised as I had only taken art in the fourth form and had refused to continue art studies because I felt it was rather impractical. I thanked her nicely and put the book away. Almost a year later, I came across the book and sat down to go through it. It seemed interesting and so I decided to try my hands at some glass painting. I got some glass paints and asked a carpenter to cut me some glass panels. The first set of six paintings I made sold the very day I made them. At the time, I had not yet framed the glass or even cured the paints and could not put prices on them and buyers were like whatever it costs, I want that! And more people placed orders for some. And I thought hmm! It created a thirst in me for knowledge. I wanted to learn how to make anything that could be made. I bought books and taught myself how to make anything I found interesting. And so I had this huge hobby where I created a lot of different things when I got back home from work. And I sold a lot of my work. Glass Paintings, Jewellery, Handbags, Mosaics, Greeting Cards, Fabric Paintings, Decorative Paintings on wood.
Where did the idea for Jedidiahs Place come from? Where do you find the inspiration for your designs?
In 2013, I took stock and realised that I had invested heavily in this hobby! Although I had never been able to take time out for formal training, I had a lot of equipment, books and supplies. I even had a registered trademark. I then decided it was time to make it a business and be serious about things. I draw a lot of inspiration from nature. Planet Earth is full of colour and texture and I love those two things.
Can you remember one of the first things you crafted? What makes it memorable?
I think those would be a set of two glass vases that I painted and embellished with crystal beads in different sizes. The set were inspired by our local tambourine (Shekere). I had done just the two and my father had purchased them when he saw the work in progress. I get easily bored, so I had not repeated the design. However, anytime I go visiting my parents and see the set, I grumble and say to myself – those should be in my living room!
How long does it take to design and make a particular work? Can you give a short summary of the processes that go into each one?
The design process can be a long drawn out one as a designer takes note of his/her surroundings daily. I make notes and quick drawings in a notebook or sketchbook I have with me at all times. I also put down notes on my phone as ideas come to me. Some of those ideas might not see the light of day for another year. But one day, everything gets put together. Once the idea crystallizes, in bag making, the next step is to create sketches of the bag design, tweaking each successive sketch until satisfaction is achieved. Then decisions are made about which materials to use and what colour scheme would be best. Then, patterns must be made and mock-ups and prototypes created before the bag goes into production.
What are the challenges you face in business?
The main challenges I face are the availability of skilled labour, getting good supplies of good quality raw materials, the fear of bank loans to finance the business and the fine balancing between premium quality and the price the market is willing to pay.
What is your most popular item?
Our most popular item is a leather and lace handbag lined with vibrant Ankara fabric. It is available in three different colour ways. The one below is black guipure lace overlaid over black leather and trimmed with orange and yellow leather.
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian heritage for your work?
My love for colours means our Nigerian fabrics have a natural magnetic pull for me, so I tend to line my leather bags in Ankara or have Ankara or Aso Oke accents on my bags. I also love to use semi precious stones locally available in Nigeria in jewellery making. Our card making kits have die cut Ankara pieces so that cards made using the kits would be uniquely Nigerian.
What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
I would love to grow the business to a stage where I would hire a full time business manager and other key staff and just be what I really am – a Designer Maker. I want the business to be known for premium quality with several outlets both locally and internationally, which would of necessity lead to employment and growth opportunities. I spend too much time managing the business and this kills my creativity. I also believe that there is latent creativity in each person that just needs to be identified and then nurtured. I would love to teach and train people who would want to learn how to make one thing or the other but are unable to find the time to undertake some formal training. I have been there and I know what that is like. This is why we have now launched our creativity kits (The Explore! Series). Oh, and I would like a nice big light and airy studio in my home so that I can rest from Lagos traffic. To be honest, I find that I do work better and I am more productive when working from home.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I struggle with social media and social engagements and I am in the process of learning a new skill.
For someone who wishes to take up this kind of career, what kind of advice would you give them? Also, if you could give one piece of advice to youths who want to start their own company, what would it be?
I would say that self-development is key. Learn all that you can, whenever and wherever you can. Training must be continuous as the industry is growing in leaps and bounds and you don’t want to be left behind. I would also say to both parties – hang on tight; it’s not going to be a smooth ride. However, it’s a worthwhile ride that you will be very glad you made and will do over and over again if given the chance. The most important thing would be to get up each time you fall and realise that each failure is a step in the right direction. Seek and listen to advice but also listen very carefully to your instincts. As a Christian, I would say above all pray about any and everything.
And finally, I would like to give you this opportunity to share two to four images of your work and tell us a little about each.
This clutch bag is flat and oversized and has a chain feature that can also serve as a handle on its bag. The fabric is habotai silk that I painted by hand and trimmed with leather. The inside is fully lined with suede. The design comes as a full leather bag or mud cloth trimmed with leather. It is large enough to use as a case for a small laptop or notebook. It could also be used as a document file when off to those power meetings or a regular clutch on a night or day out.These sets of bags were crafted with leather and Aso Oke. They are very structured bags and are fully suede lined. They are also available as full leather in different colours.This lovely neckpiece is made from agate beads and a Botswana agate focal purchased in Nigeria. It is finished with a sterling silver clasp. Nicely chunky and classically simple, it is available in different coloured agate beads.I love this little darling clutch because of the burst of colours. The leathers used are yellow, green and black. As an accent, I overlaid green, pink and yellow Ankara with some handmade taffeta lace. The insides are lined with the Ankara fabric peeping through.
Here goes another beautiful entrepreneur, maximising her career in Law and chasing after her passion. We are truly inspired by Oluwatosin’s story.
I hope you were inspired reading too.
Don’t just keep that idea as a thought, you can make it a reality today. Just START!
Keep up the great work.
Thanks for participating in Bellafricana’s Exclusive Interviews!
Creativity can be expressed in a lot of ways. Often times, I have come to realise there is always a story behind a brand which is what brought about Bellafricana exclusive interviews. These people inspire me and I hope they inspire you too. Janada Ladidi Kwaji identified a real need in the skin care industry in Nigeria and decided to find solutions whilst exploring her creativity. You need to read her story…
Q & A
Brief info about who you are and what you do.
My name is Janada Ladidi Kwaji, I live in Abuja and I’m from Adamawa State, Nigeria. The middle child out of five children, I am also the second and youngest daughter. I was born in Lagos but moved to the United States when I was 2 years old and began school shortly after. I then went on to school in Lagos, Lome (Togo), Ottawa (Canada) and then finally back to the U.S again.
I got my undergraduate degree in Economics from The Pennsylvania State University and my Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University in Washington DC. I moved back to Nigeria in November 2013, completed my NYSC (a compulsory service for Nigeria youths) a year later and started Mint Organic Care (MOC).
Please tell us about your work.
Mint Organic Care is a luxury handmade bath and body product line manufactured and packaged in Nigeria. Based in Abuja, we use the purest and most natural ingredients from all over the world to create the best products for skin. All our products are completely chemical and toxin free.
How did Mint Organic Care start?
MOC started out somewhat accidentally in that I never had any intention to go into skincare business. Anyway, it started shortly before I moved back to Nigeria. I have always had sensitive skin and not particularly beautiful skin. As a result I have at one point or another struggled with various skin conditions that plague a lot of individuals. After being put on countless topical medications, I decided to try organic products that were parabens and chemical free.
I saw a clear difference in the way my skin responded to these products and I truly just enjoyed the way they felt. When I moved back to Nigeria I found it difficult to find properly packaged and manufactured organic body products that I enjoyed using.
They were too raw, poorly manufactured or simply adulterated. I then had the idea to make my own products for personal use, and since they were for personal consumption I wanted to splurge on importing the best and purest ingredients I could get. I then took a class in Los Angeles to ensure that I knew what I was doing and made the best use of the ingredients for optimal health and luxury.
Eventually, friends and family enjoyed the products so much that I was encouraged by everyone around me to turn it into a business. I then took a more professional class to get certified in making the products and ensuring my methods were FDA certified. Mint Organic Care was born shortly after!
Where does your motivation for skin care come from?
A lot of my motivation is derived from the simple fact that our skin is the largest organ on our body and is the first thing people see. While some people are born with naturally beautiful skin, many of us are not. Rather than spending tons of money on inorganic products that have no nutritive value, I found that God has blessed us with the best ingredients for our body from nature.
Above all, I have a borderline obsession with skincare products, their ingredients and how they feel! Whenever I travel to a new country, I take time out to find their most organic store, find out what products and ingredients are indigenous to that country and learn about their health benefits.
I also wanted people to sincerely enjoy and feel pampered during simple daily regimens such as taking a bath; not only relishing the experience, but also feeling absolutely confident that they are using the best and healthiest ingredients for their body.
Can you remember the first product you made/sold?
I remember both! The first product I made was not the first product I sold. I first made cocoa butter hand soap, which turned out quite well! A few weeks later my friend ordered body scrubs and bar soaps for her company hampers for the Christmas holidays.
What areas of concern do you see the most in this industry?
Ingredient procurement, Information asymmetry and quality control- although I think the latter two are more specific to Nigeria as a country.
Would you refer to yourself as a skin care specialist?
No, I would not consider myself as a skin care specialist. As I mentioned earlier I “accidentally” fell into the skincare industry and had no prior specialised knowledge. I would confidently say however that I am very knowledgeable in natural skincare product making and skin health. I am learning everyday and may one day find it necessary to get the certification of a skincare specialist.
What are the challenges you face in business?
Honestly, I don’t believe running a business anywhere in the world is easy, not to mention Nigeria. My greatest challenge is trying to run a quality business in Nigeria while keeping fair prices. My second greatest challenge is specific to the organic industry and that’s procuring ingredients. Because they are natural resources, the unadulterated versions are available in limited supply. Furthermore, I try to acquire the various ingredients from their respective indigenous countries, so importation and custom duties are definitely a challenge.
What is your most popular item (include image)?
My two most popular items are the bath bombs and the creamy coconut bar soap.
Bath bombs by Mint Organic Carecreamy coconut bar soap by mint organic care
What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
I aim to expand MOC as an international brand with stores in various African cities. I absolutely will be going back to my degree in public policy and resolve to influence policy change that positively affects the way Nigeria functions as a country.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
My sense of smell and nose are ridiculously strong. I got it from my mother and I am very thankful as it makes my job a lot easier. God definitely had these plans for me before I had them for myself! LOL
For someone who wishes to take up this kind of career, what kind of advice would you give them? Also, if you could give one piece of advice to youths who want to start their own company, what would it be?
I would advise that they unquestionably have the passion and vision for skincare and organic products. For youths wanting to start their own company-
“pray for wisdom and strength and then go for it”.
It may not start out as the image you had initially, yet with hard work and dedication you will begin to see your vision materialize. However, I would stress to make sure you have a clearly written out business plan prior to starting.
Once the business starts you tend to get an overload of advice and input from various people, while at the same time things may not pan out as you thought they would. Therefore, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, side tracked and confused. When you have a written out business plan with realistic timelines and goals, you have that blueprint to keep you focused and on track.
And finally, I would like to give you this opportunity to share two to four images of your work and tell us a little about each (basically sell yourself, include the package for events & wedding etc).
One of the things I love most about what I do is the creative mobility. Each time I go into my lab to create something there is always an element of surprise with how the finished product turns out. This creativity is also often explored with customers for their events and weddings. Here are photos from a pink and gold themed wedding. I also enjoy putting together the gift boxes for customers, which are customizable by both colour and scent. Here is a photo of a men’s gift box customized according to the scent.
Mint organic gift for a gold and pink themed wedding
If you are reading this and you have sensitive skin or you know somebody that does, kindly forward this interview to them.
Kudos Janada on your achievements so far, and I’m glad you have taken up the courage to fill a gap in the skin care industry in Nigeria.
I for one will be your customer as not only am I drawn to beautiful packages but I also love organic skin products. Like come on who doesn’t like smooth fresh skin 😉
Thanks Janada for participating in Bellafricana’s Exclusive Interviews! We wish you the very best in your business and look forward to you opening your online shop at www.bellafricana.com
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