Miracle Onuoha is CEO and Creative Lead at Fluidé Homes; a hospitality and home goods store that specialises in curating, supplying superior and highly functional beddings, baths, fragrances and everyday home essentials to a fast-growing clientele. He has three years experience in hospitality and two years invested in Fluidé Homes.

He is also a digital marketer and Entertainment PR consultant with over seven years industry experience, working with brands like Coca-Cola, Globacom and celebrities like DJ Cuppy, Waje, Jaywon, Ycee, Mercy Johnson, Joke Silva, Jane Michaels, Ifeanyi Dike, Olorisupergal, Khafi, Gedoni amongst others.

YNaija had a chat with him and this is how it went.

Why a bedding business?

As an introvert, I am more of a stay home kind of guy. I love my home to be comfortable in every sense of comfort. But, sourcing these products to my own taste was quite difficult.

I have always been a lover of good sleep linen and beddings in general. Back In University, my hostel space was a sight. Moving out of the hostel and having my own home off camp, my friends would always come around for the food and to sleep on my bed, it was really a thing. According to them, my food and how comfortable my bed was, is their favourite things about me.

After NYSC In 2017, setting up my new home and sourcing beddings that suited my taste was quite difficult. But, It was not until 2019 after my first trip outside Nigeria and staying in a luxury hotel that I swore to replicate the level of comfort I had sleeping on that bed.

At that time, it was a project for myself and making my space better. I did my due diligence and went out to source my beddings myself. When I was done with my set-up, I loved it and it ended there. After seeing how I could translate my vision, and my friend, whose bedding I had worked on, raving about how he loved them, then I picked the interest to go commercial with it.

Beddings, yet the name Fluidé?

The word Fluidé came from a conversation I had with my mentor, Chinedu. I was at the point where I needed a name to carry my vision but everything I was coming up with was not tuning in.

So, I took this to her and we both agreed that the brand has to be a reflection of the kind of person that I am -intentional, easy-going, smooth, unrestricted, and skillful. She said ‘I will totally sum you up as a Fluid person’. Right there, it clicked and I said – ‘why not we add an é to Fluid and make it Fluidé. – /fluːɪde/

The beginning

My first client was my best friend. I pitched the idea to make his beddings for his new home and he bought it. After then I took the work, packaged it and started advertising online.

Surprisingly, in our first business month, we had the opportunity to supply our beddings to big names like Tiwa Savage, Toke Makinwa, Lola OJ, Mercy Johnson, Anna Ebiere, Carolyn Hutchings and so many others who have come to love our products and remained loyal and returning clients and friends to the brand over the years. We got first through our online ads and mostly referrals.

We have also been blessed to work with strong names in the interior design business like Mimz Interiors, PerfectFit and many others as their official beddings provider. We have also worked with hotels and Airbnb and supplied them with beddings and bath products that have served and are still serving them.

The core of Fluidé

At Fluidé Homes, we believe in intentionality and quality. We don’t put anything out for the fun of it. Thought, attention and time go into everything we offer, every detail has to spell elegance and class.

From our products, how we interact with clients, how we package our offerings and even to a post on our social media platform, we want you to have an understanding of how special the brand is.

Did you have moments where you felt like the business wasn’t going to do well? Especially because of the type of business this is – luxury. One would think that people would not want to pay your fees…. You know, there’s a notion that Nigerians like to do things themselves or just shop abroad when it comes to luxury.

The notion that Nigerians don’t buy made in Nigeria products or support Nigerian brands is really a myth because we support ourselves.

When it comes to payment Nigerians will always be Nigerians. They will try to question your price point and get a discount. But, we do our job, we do the research, and we are confident of the quality of our offerings – it is definitely not for everybody.

Is Miracle Onuoha suggesting any industry changes?

Honestly, I think the beddings industry has largely improved over the last two years. We have an excellency spirit so we always strive for the best.

I joined the business because finding beddings that suited my style and taste was quite hard and that is the gap we are currently filling at Fluidé homes. We are making quality beddings that improve the overall health and wellbeing of people available and reachable those who can afford them.

I am currently taking my knowledge in PR and my skill in sourcing the best beddings and home goods on a single journey. Now, we are making quality beddings available and reachable to our clients through awareness and visibility.

Why a walk-in store after a two-year phenomenal success?

The bedding business is centred on texture and touch. Because of how delicate sleep is and how expensive it is to acquire quality beddings, our clients have always demanded for an opportunity to see our offerings and feel their texture.

More importantly, we want to give our clients an experience. We want them to see and feel what they are investing on. The industry has moved past what it used to be when we got into it two years ago. People have gotten really curious and to satisfy all that and retain our clients, we decided to open a walk-in store to allow them come in and decide on how they want to sleep.

The question about relevance

Building a brand from scratch and especially in a country like this where government policies are not really in favour of entrepreneurs is hard work, but when passion meets hard work, you become unstoppable.

As a business, we are constantly ‘doing’. There is no stopping. We are still trying everything to figure out what works for us. We would be recording two years in the market this May and we are still finding our voice. We are also relentless with doing research and always on the look out to learn new things because that is where the magic happens.

By doing research at every point we find ourselves we come up with new ways to advertise, tell our story and package our offerings better to our clients.

Lesson learnt

Showing up, even when you don’t feel like it, pays off. Staying consistent to your vision is the trick. It may not look like it, but eventually it pays off. Lastly believe in God and yourself and never stop.