Business Connect: Eseoghene Odiete on creating an innovative brand in the Fashion Industry

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Meet Eseoghene Odiete 25, named by YNaija as one of Africa’s 25 best entrepreneurs under 25 in 2015 and 40 under 40 Nigerian Entrepreneurs by Biz Watching. Ese is an award winning fashion and social entrepreneur. She started her business in 2013 with the little experience she had about business right after she graduated from the university. She started her business with just $60 (60 dollars) of her savings in Lagos Nigeria and has been able to raise $60,000 (60,000) dollars equity free funds to further grow her business.

In 2013, Ese’s business grew and was centered on using Fashion as an active tool to galvanize a young generation of Africans to action with a focus on reducing the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria while also building Enterprise. She is the founder and creative director of Hesey Designs, a Fashion Accessory outfit that produces the finest handcrafted Afrocentric fashion accessories.

Ese also runs the Hesey Designs empowerment Centre where she teaches thousands of women and youths how to make Fashion Accessories such as Bags and Shoes at little or no cost thereby successfully helping the Nigerian youths and women start and grow their own businesses. Over 50 of Nigeria’s Small and Medium scale Business owners have benefited from The Hesey Design empowerment Centre, which has helped to strategically position them as key players in the Fashion industry. She is also a “Volunteer at the Slum to school” Project and “Project One Million Souls”

Ese believes in encouraging African youths to start their own businesses rather than wait to get jobs. A cause she believes would help reduce the high rate of unemployment in Africa. She also speaks to women and youths in and outside Africa at Seminars, conferences and workshops.

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In March 2015, in commemoration with the International Women’s Day, she spoke at the British council on helping young female entrepreneurs make it in 2015 and beyond. In 2013, she made an appearance on Ibukun Awosika’s Ignite TV, In 2014 She was the Key note Speaker at the Diamond bank Business Enterprise conference, In September 2014 she spoke at the Connect ZA/British Council on the business of fashion in South Africa.

Also In 2014, Ese addressed female entrepreneurs at the Diamond Woman Enterprise program in October. Also in October 2014, she was a speaker at the British Council Mind the gap conference October, other speaking engagements include Future Awards enterprise program, Blank White sheet event on ‘How I developed a world class event, University of Lagos at the Girls inspire Girls event, University of Nairobi, Kenya 2014, I-Cube Event, Speaker at the British Deputy High Commission to members of the British council, DFID just to mention a few. Ese has also featured in several print and online publications including Guardian, Punch, Business Day, Tw Magazine, Africa magic etc.

Ese’s Designs and works have won different accolades, some of which have made her dine with the British Billionaire Entrepreneur, Richard Branson, designing shoes for Branson for Virgin Atlantic 30th Anniversary. She Also got a scholarship to attend Branson Centre for entrepreneurship.

Some of her awards and nomination include Winner British Council Enterprise Challenge; Winner Google Africa connected Awards, Finalist for the Tony Elumelu Prize in Business, Future Awards 2014 etc.

Ese is a Graduate of Covenant University, Nigeria where she graduated with Honors in Mass Communication in 2010.

You studied Mass Comm and graduated with distinction. Why did you switch to fashion?

Eseoghene: Thank you; it was not such a switch as Mass Comm. was for me an avenue to express my creativity and my world view; which has been extended to my brand; the relentless believe that the world requires a full expression of one’s uniqueness or what you can call; specialness.

 

Have you always had the flair or passion for fashion?

Eseoghene: Yes. I was the kind of person who hung around fashion materials; I read a lot of fashion blogs and had a very keen eye for how people were piecing colors and clothing together to achieve a wow look. So when I was looking for what to do, fashion was an easy choice to make.

 

Did you start practicing it while in school?

Eseoghene: Yes. In fact this whole thing started a bit in school, picking fabrics and designs that work within the campus environment and getting my friends to buy and wear them. But I didn’t have a brand name or anything and starting a brand in the real world is a whole new experience.

 

What convinced you to go this route and how did your folks react to the switch?

Eseoghene: My parents were not fully aware of what I was doing for a while. My siblings have always been supportive though. My family even formed my earliest group of customers. They are usually willing to help out and my elder brother was my business advisor. I would say, I cannot dissociate where I am today from the help of my family.

 

Why this brand of fashion? 

Eseoghene: Well, shoes and bags made with Ankara is where we are starting. Like you would imagine, I have some enormous dreams. We have plans to go into other aspects of fashion; luxury designs, leather works…the list goes on. We recently ventured into corporate gift items like Cardholder, folders etc. I think the answer to this question is that I looked for the best way to start and this was the way I found to be the most effective at the time. Like we are told; entrepreneurship does not start until you start something; so I started here

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You started with just the equivalent of $60. Why do you regard this as your startup capital?

Eseoghene: That was the amount I used to buy my first set of fabrics, buckles and other accessories that I used to sell the first set of products that have become Hesey Designs today.

 

How did you grow or raise the capital beyond this level?

Eseoghene: For me raising capital was not as conscious as one may imagine. I am one of those people with a strong belief that good things happen; so I looked out for available grants online, applied for them; and thankfully; I won a couple.

 

Where is Hesey Designs today in terms of growth – non-financial numbers, such as staff, number of lines, etc.? 

Eseoghene: We currently have 5staff and an outlet in Ikeja. Our product lines include: African inspired designs, leather works and corporate gift items. So you can find shoes, bags, wallets etc. at Hesey Designs. We stock on different platforms across Nigeria and even internationally.

 

You have quickly gained a rising profile with high-profile awards and meetings with even the likes of Richard Branson. How did you manage to build such a profile and how critical is such public quality exposure to the business, especially the fashion business?

Eseoghene: First I want to say that really; many of these things were not even part of my wildest dreams even as recently as two years ago. So grace had its clear part to play in all these. But one thing that I can say though is that consistency pays. Entrepreneurship usually entails sticking to something come rain or high water. I remember when it was rather difficult to do business; I had to strap my shoes and bag in one bag-sack commuting by bus from to place to deliver goods. Those were though days. I did feel like giving up as frequently as 200 times a day but no, I stuck to it. And I can tell you; I am very happy that I did.

 

So far, what have you seen as the key success factors for running this kind of business? Are there models elsewhere that meet these standards that you describe?

Eseoghene: All forms of entrepreneurship are actually parallel. The building blocks of which are a bug dream, possibility thinking, zeal to work and laser-like focus on meeting the needs of the customer. For me, I am in fashion and I am aware that fashion is about self-expression. I usually think how best my products can help my customers reflect their uniqueness to the world then I get to work. Also I keep abreast of the facts. I like to know what is new; in terms of trends, where the entire fashion industry is going and how best to position my brand for today’s customers and tomorrow’s markets.

 

What is most challenging about the business?

Eseoghene: Managing people and getting things to happen at the pace that I want, but then, I am learning quickly how to manage this effectively.

 

What is your view/experience regarding multiple locations and even franchising? Are you considering these options for growth?

Eseoghene: We are already available in multiple locations across Nigeria, in terms of our sales distribution. Production is still central for now. I do not think we are at the point to make a decision for or against franchising but one thing is sure; we would always consider our options deeply and do what is best for the customers and the business.

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Behind the fashion and the glamour is a real business. Did you have any prior experience operating or working for a company? If No, did this pose any handicap? Why not? Or in what ways? How did you bridge the gap?

Eseoghene: Yes, off course I wish I stated with decades of experience; in fact there are so many things I know now that I wish I knew earlier but then that is the fun of it for me. I try to enjoy the process. So I would not consider inexperience as a handicap; sometimes my naivety (so to speak) is my greatest asset as I hardly ever consider anything to be impossible and that is because I have never seen it fail before, so why not try it out. Bridging the gap was basically by being really observant, taking not of lessons as they come. Also, I tend to read a lot about other entrepreneurs and everywhere I can; I either listen to more experienced people or seek them out to explain some of the things that we are doing to get their thoughts on them. Those few sentences and pointers are very invaluable to a business especially at the stage we are at.

 

How have you leveraged technology and social media in the business? In what ways is Hesey Designs (a new-economy, Generation Y company), different from the old-economy, old school fashion businesses of years back?

Eseoghene: Social media is my ultimate publicity tool. In fact I have sold more products off social media than any one of our nationwide distribution outlets. I think my generation has found a communication sweet spot and social media brings people close to your brand on a daily basis. It also helped me build a reachable community; as such it is easier to draw attention to my new collections at almost zero cost to the business.

 

What lessons do you have for those who may still be on the job market or even those working, but would rather want to pursue their passion?

Eseoghene: Nothing begins until you go start something. Expect to be ashamed of the first version of your product because that is how it is meant to be, In fact if you are not slightly embarrassed by what your product is at start-up then you started too late. So you see, it does not have to be perfect; actually it should not be. You may not know what you want to do; do not sit idle; try things. As you do something would appeal to you and probably ignite your passion. From then on, you can expect to keep moving.

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