Growing pap business into a thriving brand | Leading Ladies Africa speaks to Ijeoma...

Successful entrepreneurs are those who turn
ordinary products or services into extraordinary
brands, creating value for customers and their
target audience. For Ijeoma, meeting the hygiene
and convenience needs of mothers with a local
staple proved to be an ingenious and inspired
idea.
Enjoy her interview and read about how she’s
turning Bubez Pap into an internationally
acclaimed brand.
1. You used to retail high-end luxury clothing
before you moved into food processing; what
was responsible for that switch?
At the time I started the food processing
business it started demanding a lot of time and
attention from me and I couldn’t combine the
both so I had no option but to shut down the
clothing store. Of course in business we are
talking about return on investment, naturally the
foods processing business had a better ROI in
terms of potential so the weaker one had to
give way.
2. Have you always wanted to be an
entrepreneur, and how did you work towards
achieving your dreams?
I realised by my 2 year in Medical school that
I wasn’t wired to be a doctor and I wanted to do
business not necessarily because I knew all that
it involved. I did all kinds of petty retailing while
in school and by the time I graduated I focused
on the clothing retail as we had mentioned
earlier.
3. Okay, let’s talk about Bubez Pap; what was
the inspiration behind starting that
particular line of business? And why
Akamu?
So here I was in 2012, neck deep in debt running
my store, people will buy stuff on credit, bad
debts were rising and it was crippling my
business cash flow and threatening its existence
and survival. I went to God in prayer seeking an
answer to my problem and it came from 2
Kings 4:2 AMP Version that says: “What do you
have in your house of sale value?” And within a
twinkling of an eye I saw Akamu in my fridge
because it was a staple for my kids before they
turned 2. I realised at that moment that a lot of
mothers would love to give their kids and family
pap/akamu/ogi but the stress of processing
coupled with stress from work wouldn’t let them
have pap as an option. I decided to bridge that
gap and see hygiene and convenience.
4. You are popularly known as “Nwanyiakamu”
and “Iyaologi” how is it that you’ve taken
something that is usually thought to be so
local, and made it into a thriving brand?
I knew it was considered lowly so I gave myself
the name Nwanyiakamu/Iyalogi so that before
anyone would diss me I had literally done that.
Also I believe in naming a thing. As for growing
it into a thriving brand, any business can be
turned into a thriving brand first of all in the
mind by believing in the product itself and doing
everything else accordingly towards the set
goals.
5. Let’s backtrack a little. How did you secure
funding for your business?
Grow your idea and the money will come. Think
first about how to build a long-term and
sustainable business and surpass customer
expectations and be focused to it. The
challenge most times is in divided attention. At
the time when I knew I couldn’t grow Bubez
Plaiz and Bubez Foods one had to be let go
even though I had run Bubez Plaiz for 8yrs.
6. What are some of the challenges you have
faced as an entrepreneur?
I’m still facing them. They include cheaper
access to funds, Human Resources, Power
issues, name it. But I’m a firm believer in
anything I set my mind to do, I look at the
challenges and obstacles as stepping stones to
the next level.
7. How is your retail and distribution structure?
In what areas and locations can customers
find Bubez pap?
At the moment we do direct distribution to the
retailers, we are growing this in year of setting
up the factory, and we are taking it one step at
a time. We are in stores across Lagos, Abuja,
Port Harcourt, Warri and expanding. We are also
in talks with retailers in the United Kingdom.
8. How awesome! What are some of the
deliberate steps you’ve taken to grow your
business and brand?
I believe in reading, reading and reading, no
knowledge is a waste. I’ve taken an intensive
media relations course, project management
course, both in the UK, I’ve also attended
communications strategy conferences in the US.
I believe in brand building and that’s my area of
specialty. I’m currently running a 6-month
program at the Lagos Business School – the
Owner Manager Program.
9. How does your faith impact on you as an
individual and a business woman?
My source is God, My Sustainer is God, My
Guide is God. I depend totally and absolutely on
the Holy Spirit for everything.
10. Some female entrepreneurs take umbrage at
this question; but I think it’s an important
one that needs to be asked. How do you
combine being business woman with being a
wife and mother?
There’s really no balance. I just try to have
quality time with my kids as much as I can
being that they are still young. We have movie
nights at home on Fridays. I don’t miss their
school events. I involve them in some of my
work.
11. Where do you see Bubez Foods in the next
10 years; and what are your plans to take
the brand even further?
In the next ten years I see Bubez foods as a
leader in the foods processing industry with a
huge export market share and as a household
name. We are setting certain things in place
and getting ready as a take over brand.
12. Name 3 women you would consider role
models and sources of inspiration?
Ibukun Awosika, Mo Abudu, and Tara Fela-
Durotoye.
13. What do you know now, that you wish you
knew 5 years ago?
There are a lot of them especially in financial
investments but I guess it’s never late to right
some wrongs. Failures and mistakes are part of
the learning process.
14. These are particularly challenging in Nigeria
right now; what advice would you give
entrepreneurs like yourself, on how to stay
afloat?
Keep hanging in there be as focused as can be,
re-strategise because no plan is cast in stone,
watch your cash flow and cash cycle as closely
as you can knowing that in business cash is
king. The businesses not built on values will
fade away but if we stand through these
seeming tough times then we will reap the
benefits in no time.
15. Words of advice for upcoming female
entrepreneurs.
Nothing good comes easy just persevere. Don’t
let the challenges and obstacles make you bow
your head. Stand tall, dream big and start small,
you have all it takes to succeed.
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The Leading Ladies Africa Series is a weekly
interview series that focuses on women of
African descent, showcases their experiences
across all socio-economic sectors, highlights
their personal and professional achievements and
offers useful advice on how to make life more
satisfying for women.
It is an off-shoot of Leading Ladies Africa; an
initiative that seeks to effectively mentor and
inspire women, with particular emphasis on the
African continent.
Do you know any woman of African descent
doing phenomenal things? Send an email to
lead@leadingladiesafrica.org and we just might
feature her.