Q: Hey people want to introduce
to you the MD at Madeleine Tolu Awodiya
Q: Thank you for agreeing to
this interview on Simply business…..
R:
Thanks for having me.
Q: Can we meet Tolu ?
R: As
said, my name is Tolu. 5 foot 7 inches of African goodness LOL.
Q: Could you state your
educational background, personality passion hobbies, as well as attractions and
dislikes e.t.c
R: Studied
Business Information Systems at Bowie State University, MD, USA.
Q: why did u choose to be an
entrepreneur?
R: I
didn’t chose to be an entrepreneur rather, it chose me. I always had the idea
I’d have my own business(es) as far back as I can remember. I think primary 1,
when a teacher flogged the whole class for no serious reason. LOL. I thought :
I’ll own a school and only discipline bad children.
I
also sold kerosene at some point, maybe 9 or 10 years old. I grew up with a
mother who knew how to turn everything to fill a need. So, it chose me.
Q: what drew you into
production of beauty products?
R: I don’t
call them beauty products, I prefer ‘Personal Care’ because that’s what they
are. The products take care of you, your body and comfort while making you feel
& look beautiful, that’s a plus. I had the idea to create a line of
personal care products about 6 years ago, 2006 mostly because I love having an
array of products in the same fragrance and I didn’t have much opportunity to
do that in Nigeria or they were much more expensive than expected. So I decided
to create mine.
Q: What part of business do you
have passion for?
R:
The development part. I love the work that goes into, for example, Madeleine
product creation. It is a stressful and complicated and beautiful process.
Q: How did you come about the
name and concept Madeleine?
R:
Madeleine (Ma-di-line) is the French version of Magdalene. It means fortress,
majestic, royal. It is also the city The Lady of Myrrh hailed from. She
anointed Jesus’ feet with Myrrh ( a very expensive & luxurious perfume)
Q: How has the journey been so
far, taking into consideration the deterrents to starting and building an
business in Nigeria’s harsh economic conditions, been a new start up?
R:
Journey has been interesting and arduous. Starting a business in this time
must be one of the hardest and seeming most foolish things to do given the state
of the economy and the average Nigerian’s attitude towards anything Nigerian.
It
has indeed been interesting and nerve wracking, I must say. Personal Care
businesses don’t especially follow our model in Nigeria, so it’s safe to say
we’re one of the first to employ this model in Nigeria that can be compared
with Victoria’s Secret and/or Bath and Body Works.
Q: How have people’s reception
been so far to your products?
R: Oh
my! People love everything about our products, men and women alike. They love
our bottles/packaging with detailed information, the content, the fragrance
types and prices.
We
have received quality positive feedback and suggestions that we are putting to
good use.
Q: What challenges are you
currently facing in growing your company and what are the steps you re taking
to solve them?
R: Challenges are everywhere and I think Nigerians generally
rise above numerous daily. We are faced with an economy not especially favorable to personal care products not sold in the mainstream market, although
that is gradually changing.
Q: Have you had prior
experience or other businesses you run?
R:
LOL. Oh yes, I used to sell Kerosene! I bought a gallon for N21 at seven
bottles per gallon. I sold each at N3.5 until prices went up. LOL.
Apart
from that and a few other minor ones I will talk about later, this is my first
big venture.
Q: What do you think the
government can do to help the growth of the private sector, small and medium
scale enterprises and entrepreneurs in general?
R: The government can ensure, via laws and regulations, there
are loans in banks and other finance houses at low rates for small businesses.
Q: Can you talk briefly on all
your products and why we need them over other products?
R: We have 6 fragrances and 6 product types, for now.
Lily Lustre scent carries our only Antibacterial Hand soap. –
Arabian Magic has blackberry as its most significant note & MiraBelle has
strawberry as its, in ‘Body Lotions|Body Splash|Body Butter| Shower Gel’. – KISS by Madeleine is a citrus blend while
sensual BLISS has raspberry and musk in Body Lotion|Body Splash|Bubble Bath
sets. Last but not least, we have Forever Yours, a blend of coconut and vanilla
in Body Lotion|Body Splash| Shower Gel.
The products offer you personalized care, most especially the Body Splash which gives the user a
particular body scent.
The products have been
carefully designed, manufactured and priced with every desire and budget in
mind.
Buy Nigerian. LOL
Q: What does it take or can you
explain the process it takes to produce a bottle of say “Mirabelle” From raw
state to finish and then delivery?
R: It
takes a great deal of effort, dedication and ability to have fun! You have to
decide what kind of fragrance, in MiraBelle: Strawberries and other useful
constituents such as Vitamin E and Aloe.
There
are many pieces to the pod but we shall not give away trade secrets. LOL.
Q: What’s your comment on the
fashion and beauty industry in Nigeria as compared to the U.S and other
countries, what do you think we need to work on?
R: We have seen much growth in that industry in the last
decade or so. I applaud those who grab the bulls’ horns daily as it is a hard
market in Nigeria with the economic travails. We are doing well, getting
recognized outside the continent and being patronised.
We need to work more on
originality and ensure our products, especially the fashion part, are wearable
off the runway.
Q: How did you meet Christ?
R: He met me first.
Q: How has your faith helped in
starting and running the company?
R: Faith being the substance of the unseen products & the
evidence of complete patronage.
Q: Who has inspired or been a
mentor through this whole process ,
apart from God! we know he’s our backbone?
R: I
know this is cliché but my Mom is my biggest cheerleader. She is my inspiration
and my chief motivator.
Q: Which other businesses
or leaders have inspired you?
R:
They are too many to list. I draw inspiration from all things.
Q: Where do you see yourself
and madeleine in the next 5 – 10 years?
R:
I’ll pick 5 years for now: Madeleine in at least five African countries and 2 countries outside these shores.
Q: Im sure a lot people would
want to know your relationship status, are you single, engaged or married?
R: LOL. I am single, for now. J
guys did u y'll hear that! hehehe.....
Q: What are the qualities you
want in your man?
R: He has to be patient because I’m flighty. He also has to
be solid. To me, that means dependability, stability and security. He has to
love Christ more than I do.
Q: What’s your advice to young
people out there who want to start up but don’t know their way around
R: 1. Habakkuk 2: 2
2. Pray
3. Seek Counsel.
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