By: Jemi Ekunkunbor

Armed with a B.Sc degree in in Political Science from Ondo State University, OSUA, Omotayo Jamilat Awa-Ibraheem fondly known in business circle as Oj, had the option of going for her master’s degree or opt to start a business. She chose business. After a few failed but educative start off, she learnt the necessary lessons.

In 2001, her journey into entrepreneurship began with the establishment of Perfectscentssignatureperfumes.

While she pursued a franchise in Nouba, a beauty brand, her husband wisely pushed her to take interest in construction. In the years that followed, two more businesses were born in Lagos–Glamourloungespa, and a property development company called Paulindinya Properties and Development.

She is also the founder of
Hasbunallah Islamic Foundation, established to help women going through trauma.

In this interview with Allure, we talk about her journey into perfumery and the challenges of joggling three businesses.

You could have followed any line of business but you chose perfumery; why is that?
Perfumery was a fluke that worked out well at the end. I wanted to use it to draw people into my cosmetic store because I was doing Nouba which was a high end brand. I didn’t want to go too far from beauty and perfume was a luxury brand. Everything else just fell into place.

At this point what particular fragrance were you in love with?
It’s difficult to point to a particular brand, really, because I love everything. It was later I discovered niche perfumes, and I was enthralled.

Most popular perfumes come from abroad; how did you go about finding your market and setting up shop?
It was through my sister in the US that I came into contact with a multi-million company that was a major distribution channel for a lot of designers’ perfumes.

What initial challenges did you face as a business person?

The major challenge for me was my lack of experience and no clear idea about what I wanted. I was lucky because my husband is an accountant, he helped me understand the financial implications and supported it.
I was also a young mum and even though my mum was fantastic, at a point, I had to also take responsibility for my kids. Believe me, business and motherhood are on parallel lines. I had to be a part-time business woman while trying to be a full time mum.

How does a customer go about choosing his or her signature perfume?
Good question! A good sales person while introducing the different brands would be subtle in drawing out the likes and dislikes of a customer with a few well placed questions that gives you a general idea of what the customer likes.
Does a customer like to be noticed? Any allergy? Does smell overwhelm the customer? From a customer’s response, a good sales person will be able to pick one or two things and advice the customer.
It is also important that the store should have testers. When a customer is indecisive, I simply spray different perfumes on testers with the name at the back, and tell them not to make a choice now but to leave it for a few days before making a decision.

Does age matter when choosing a fragrance?
Personally, I believe it does, just as personality also matters; but ultimately, the customer’s preference is what matters.

How true is it that perfumes have no gender but marketing created the idea of male and female fragrances?
It’s true perfumes have no gender but society has associated certain scents to a particular gender. For instance, florals are deemed feminine, while musk is deemed masculine.
Personally, I think perfumes should be selected based on personality.

Many popular perfumes will come in both eau de toilette and eau de parfum; can you enlighten users on the difference?
The main difference is the concentration of oil in each; eau de toilette generally has a lesser concentration of perfume oil than the eau de perfum. It does not make eau de toilette less valuable; it’s just that its lasting power would be limited. So, if you like a particular perfume but find it too strong, then the toilette version maybe a preferred choice.

You started one or two businesses earlier that failed before you got the hang of doing business; what lessons did you learn from that experience?

I learnt too many lessons. First, please don’t start a new business based on your perception of others’ success. Read and learn all that you can possibly learn about the business. For instance, if you want to start a wholesale provision business, then, you had better not be a high spender; otherwise, it is doomed to fail. My failed experience taught me the wisdom of delayed gratification and priorities. Information and location limit the risks. When I got the Nouba franchise opportunity, it was a great product, but the timing was off, and the location was a disaster.
Finally, limit your expectations. No magic happens in the first few years of establishing a business no matter what motivational speakers tell you. Every business has its incubation period, and your job is not to lose enthusiasm even when it gets frustrating. There is no manual for this, you have to make mistakes to grow. Grief and growth are friends. That’s why you need to hone your skills such that you are able to do one thing in a thousand different ways.
The most important of all, is to trust God and have an unshakable belief and ability in oneself to succeed.

With the harsh economic situation right now, how are vanity products like perfumes doing?
I think the key word in the question is vanity, even though I prefer to use the word self-confidence. Humans are emotional beings; we respond to visuals and stimulations. No doubt, a person who smells nice is readily welcomed and accommodated than the person who smells awful. For this reason, things that boost our self-image and confidence will always be prioritised. However, I may want to smell nice without necessarily spending thousands. For some, the fact that it’s a premium designer perfume is a mental booster.
Naturally, the down turn in the economy influences people’s choices and priorities, so there will be a drop in high-end perfumes. The unstable foreign exchange rate has been my constant headache for the past year, but to be a successful business person, you have to have a tough resolve and a strategic mind to be able to weather the storm.

What interesting and sweet memory can you share of you doing this line of business?
It’s the struggle people, including me have in the pronunciation of the names of some French brands.
Also, it is funny that some people assume that all oud perfumes are of Islamic origin. I find myself educating customers that the base of all perfumes are found or stimulated from raisins, which is common in the Middle Eastern region.

How do you joggle your three businesses?
Only God knows; it has a lot to do with having the right people in your management team.
I’m also lucky to have had my mum help out, giving me the opportunity to make my mistakes early on. Now, I know what to stay away from.
My kids are now all young adults in the university, so it frees up my time to do other things.
I’ve learnt to prioritise what is important at a given moment.
Right now, as the business expansion is ongoing, we are trying to put a system in place that does not require my attention all the time.
I’ve also learnt the wisdom of outsourcing what I can. I have a company that does all my business on social media, members of my staff are trained to note fast moving brands or an order that is fast- moving, that does not require pre-selection. I simply just copy and paste.
I still need to read up on trends and news about the industry. Thankfully, reading for me is a passion so, I just do it at night or when I have some time during the day.
I made it a priority to only follow accounts that either make for my growth or have something to do with my business, that way, I can enjoy browsing and still learn.

A lot of Nigerians are financially traumatized; how is your foundation helping out in this regard?
It’s sad, really, that even when you want to help, some just make it difficult for you. Recently, a young lady who claimed to be a medical student sent a message requesting me to buy a bus for Muslim students.
Now, I have to place some things on hold until I am able to put certain systems in place to filter out some people.
For housing for displaced mothers, a land in Epe is now available, and a prototype of temporary shelter will be built and approved before we can continue. From my findings, I discovered that low income jobs are on the rise around that area so there is no point in housing people that would spend what they make on transportation.
Most Nigerian retail businesses lack customer service; what is your selling point?

Staff education. I insisted that it is a must for them to learn about what they sell, that is, the number one determinant for increased salary.
Our second selling point is that when a customer comes with a problem, like returning a purchase, find out the reason behind why it was returned and solve it.
Never force a sale; you have to build trust, but I’m very confident in the quality of my stock.

When you are not working, what do you like to do?
When I’m not working, I curl up on my bed and read. I am a voracious reader with diverse interests. Reading is better now with e-books.
I’m very lucky to have siblings who share common interests in topics I love to discuss, we simply do a conference call discussing religious or philosophical books we’ve read.

Where is your dream travel destination?
I don’t have any. Any destination loses its appeal once I’ve been there. I do like my own company and rarely need external stimulation. If I have to travel and it’s not work related, then it is with my kids or siblings.

Who is your biggest business inspiration?
I have many.
My mum, even though she left the police force to concentrate on being a mother, she had a very impressive mind and financial understanding that is just genius.
My mentor and friend, Mrs. Bola Adesola, former MD Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria.
Mrs Ronke Edevbie, her advices are immeasurable to me. I run to her because she would tell me the truth as it is and then cheer me up.
The most interesting one is a fictional character Emma Harte, in the book, A woman of substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford. From the day I read that book, I knew I had to be Emma Harte.

What won’t you do for fashions sake?
Buy just because it’s trending or to impress or compromise my values. I love creating my own sense of fashion anyway and mixing things according to what I like and suits me.

How would you advise a client with body odour?
It’s a tough one. Truth, for most people is a bitter pill to swallow. So, sometimes, it’s best to let a sleeping dog lie unless my advice is solicited.
If it is, then, after ruling out medical, then good hygiene is essential. No amount of perfume will cover a bad odour forever. For me, it is bad manners to drown people in body odour that would send them to the hospital for holding their breath.