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Trade is key to Africa’s development — Odiete

By on June 2, 2014

In this interview with MOTUNRAYO JOEL, the Creative Director of Hesey Designs, Eseoghene Odiete, 24, talks about how she started her business with little capital

What kind of business do you do at Hesey Designs?

Hesey Designs is a fashion label that specialisesin creating custom-made apparels and accessories for women. Blending our exotic creative designs with African prints, we seek to spread great stories of Africa through our designs.

While trying to make a name for ourselves, we are currently focused on growing the accessory line of business. Items in our line include bags, footwear, and jewelries. Our products are made from the finest materials sourced from our local markets in Mushin, Oshodi and Aba.

We also work with local craftsmen; which is in line with our vision of promoting our economy. Hesey Designs has been featured in over 100blogs, several publications such as Complete Fashion, Guardian Life, TW Magazine, City People Fashion and Style, Ok! Magazine, amongst others.

Apart from making profit, we also run an empowerment centre for women and young people.

Have you always been entrepreneurial?

Well, my mum ran a small business while we were growing up and I usually watched and assisted her. Also, while at the university, together with two other friends, we sold T-shirts to get extra cash.

So how did you get trained for this business?

When I wanted to start this business after my university education, I didn’t have an idea of how to go about running a proper fashion label. So I read up a lot of articles and business management books from the Internet. I read books and articles on how to start and run a fashion label especially with little funds. I watched several bag production videos on Youtube.

I sourced my first set of fabrics from my tailor workshop. After creating the first set of products, selling them became an issue. So I searched for different fashion blogs and sent each of them a mail about my designs. The response was unbelievable and I was in business.

The Internet afforded me the brand massive awareness that traditional media could not have given me. I got the opportunity to work with several traditional media (Magazines and TV). In July 2013, I had an interview with African Magic StarGist and have been featured in several blogs and magazines.

Today, not only is the business growing fast within Nigeria, I am currently receiving and processing orders from different countries.

What inspired you to create the business?

I have always been intrigued by the fashion industry, even as a child and have always wanted to build a fashion brand that would promote the Nigerian culture and build the economy. I passionately believe that trade not aid is key to Africa’s development. So after my university degree, I decided to set up a fashion brand with a mission to promote Nigeria and Africa, so Hesey Designs was officially born in July 2012.

What are the main challenges you faced in the early days of your business; and what are your current challenges?

As a young entrepreneur, starting up was difficult. My first main challenge was sourcing for fund. I had to make do with the little savings I had and grew from there. Getting the products out was another challenge.

I couldn’t afford a shop so I made use of the Internet. I sent emails to several fashion sites requesting that they feature my designs. I knew I had a great product but I needed to be known. Many of them featured the products and my contact. A lot of people started contacting me; requesting for products.

My present challenges are getting adequate materials, dealing with craftsmen and shipping products abroad. It’s very expensive sending our products to customers abroad. We are lookingforward to working with a courier firm that can offer us great services at a fair price.

How much did you require to start the business?

I started the business with my savings of about N10, 000 naira. I produced a few bags, sold them and reinvested both the initial capital and the profit into the business.That was how I got here. I also started receiving orders so I made customers pay before I produced the products.

Do you offer trainings?

Yes, but I like to call it empowerment because you are not just learning how to produce beautiful products but also learning how to start and run your own small business. So far, we have worked with over 40 women and equipped them with the necessary skills needed to create beautiful, authentic African items that can set them up as entrepreneurs.

These women have gone out to set up their own small businesses and they are doing pretty amazing things. We will be setting up a full empowerment school soon and we will be able to take in some of our students as workforce.

Are young entreprenuers in Nigeria receiving enough support?

There is a rise in the drive towards entrepreneurship. Government and corporate organisationsare supporting small business with the necessary funds to take their businesses to another level; there are several grantsfor SMEs these days.

Apart from funds, there are several youth empowerment programmes especially by more experienced entrepreneuers. I was privileged to speak at the IbukunAwosika Ignite TV in 2013. This is one of the many programmes that set out to inspire and support young people to do great things.

There is also the Girls Inspiring Girls show by PejuLawal where over 2000 girls gather together and share their experiences and entrepreneurial journeys. More can still be done by our government, corporate organisations and influential individuals.

What is your best piece of advice for unemployed graduates?

As young people we can do more than write CVs and apply for jobs. We have great potential in us that is waiting to be harnessed. We can build great businesses that will one day employ graduates. So instead of waiting for the perfect job, think of a positive thing you can do with your hands and start at it. It may seem little now, but with determination you can grow it into something really big.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just starting; what would you do differently; and what advice would you have given to yourself if you could only relay one piece of advice to your former self?

I would have started earlier. Initially I was afraid. I felt I didn’t know enough to start and run a business. I wanted to raise enough funds and start big. So I spent a lot of time trying to start the best way I thought. So, for my message to my former self and to all those about to start, I will say: “Start with what you have and grow from there.”

Is entrepreneurship in the blood or is it something that can be learned?

My elder brother thinks I was born an entrepreneur. I think so too. I have always been a passionate believer, a goal-getter, a planner, and a risk taker. As a long distance runner back in school, I was always focused on getting to the finish line no matter how tired I was. There are some traits I had long before I started my business. These are traits that every entrepreneur needs to succeed.

What are your plans for the future?

I see Hesey Designs becoming an internationally recognised brand with outlets in different countries. I am looking to expand; increase sales, empower more people and get closer to our vision.

The Federal Government said it might start giving unemployed graduates similar allowances as corps members’. What is your take on this?

I will simply cite this quote: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

 

 

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