It’s not always easy, making the transition from corporate to entrepreneur, but for Helen Asimegbe, founder of Stylemark Mall Enterprises in Nigeria, it was a personal dream and a promise to herself. Today, she is doing what she loves, building a highly customer-centric retail business, whilst at the same time playing her part in helping other entrepreneurs to realize their dreams too.
LoA found out more about this passionate retail entrepreneur and her dreams for the future this month.
What does your company do?
Stylemark Mall is a unique business where we deal in high quality children's clothing and accessories, in sizes to suit all ages, from Infants to Teens.
"As I began to approach 30, I told myself it was time to pursue my own entrepreneurial dreams. And it became a reality as I established Stylemark Mall on the 10th of April 2015, at exactly 30 years of age."
What inspired you to start your company?
I had a dream of becoming my own boss @30 years of age. Before then I had been an employee and had a career in Banking into which I put over 5 years of my life. So as I began to approach 30, I told myself it was time to pursue my own entrepreneurial dreams. And it became a reality as I established Stylemark Mall on the 10th of April 2015, at exactly 30 years of age.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
We sell very high quality children’s clothing, really unique pieces that are also durable. We care a lot about our customers and treat them like royalty, and we ensure we do all we can to make them happy and satisfied, plus we follow up all the time. Occasionally we offer rewards to our esteemed customers by way of giving out gift cards, running a special promotion, or adding an amount to their store credit cards which they can use on their next purchase.
"At Stylemark Mall Enterprises, we sell very high quality children’s clothing, really unique pieces that are also durable."
Tell us a little about your team
There is myself, I am a serial entrepreneur and the CEO of Stylemark Mall, a retailer of high-quality children’s clothing and accessories. I am also the founder of Stylemark Pro Enterprise (Capacity Development Centre), which trains entrepreneurs, small business owners and start-ups. I have a vision to locally manufacture and export children’s clothes and I’m passionate about helping other businesses to grow. I serve as a business mentor at the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Foundation and also the Cherie Blaire Foundation for Women in Business. I am a member of Toast Masters International Club. I hail from Kogi State and I am married with two children.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Transitioning from banking to business, I must say, wasn’t the easiest thing for me. It was really tough at the beginning, because both professions are somewhat different. In taking a bold step to starting a business, I had to look within myself. I took time to figure out what I was passionate about, I knew it would have to be something that could keep me up late at night, where I could still smile and enjoy what I’m doing. I didn’t want to just start any kind of trade because I wanted to do buying and selling. I had to identify that one thing that I could really do and derive joy from. My first business is Stylemark Mall, which was founded in April 2015 and we deal in children’s clothing and all other accessories. When I started, first of all, I began by marketing to my friends and relatives, and then I began to talk to a few parents from my kids’ school. Most of the time, I would stock up goods in the boot of my car and move around doing deliveries trying to hopefully get new customers. I took a step further and began to use all the social media platforms to great effect, ie. Whatsapp, BBM, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to do my adverts. I was really committed and devoted, not minding how small my business was. I would create adverts and post them on social media, using visual images to appeal to my customers. It’s been quite an interesting journey. Even with the ups and downs we face as small business owners, I kept striving, putting in all my best efforts. From selling from my car boot to clients in Abuja for starters, I gradually began to reach out in marketing to other people outside Abuja, and that’s how I was favored and began to also deliver outside Abuja. Well so far so good - today we are on one of Nigeria’s largest online shopping malls, Konga. In terms of my background training and development, I had my first degree in Business Administration, and also a Masters in Business Administration, and a certificate in Entrepreneurial management. I also acquired other certificates from specialist courses I undertook and training programmes from professional bodies/institutions. So yes, I received a formal education and took part in lots of training in times past that I’m leveraging on right now. And I will continue to improve myself. My background has helped a great deal.
"I have a vision to locally manufacture and export children’s clothes and I’m passionate about helping other businesses to grow."
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I have a vision to locally manufacture and export children’s clothes and am also passionate about helping other businesses grow.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
In the course of running my business, I have come to realize how creative I really am, and with that, I can actually achieve a lot being my own boss. I wake up having so many ideas/inspirations on what exactly I can add or do to make my business stand out.
This is really fulfilling for me.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
My advice: It’s time to put a little spark to that business and make it shine. If you have a goal to succeed at what you are doing, then you must be committed 100 % to that business, put in your very best, and be very happy to talk about your business.
Contact or follow Stylemark Mall
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL achenyo.asimegbe@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it…
At Lionesses of Africa, we love hearing the personal stories of those women entrepreneurs who have fulfilled their aspirations of building businesses and brands, having made the transition from the corporate world. We all know it can be a tough transition to make in the early days, but Helen Asimegbe is proof positive that it can be done. Today, she is not only building a great business that she is passionate about, but she is also helping others to find their purpose on their entrepreneurial journeys too. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa