We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Abiola Ahmed . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Abiola below.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Itelemibyara. ITELEMI meaning (My shoes) by Ara) is a leather company based in lagos Nigeria. The name of the brand is coined from the beautiful Yoruba language of the Western Region of Nigeria. ‘Itelemi’ literally means ‘My Shoe’. This name announces the pride of my cultural heritage. We make really nice designs and we are ever ready to keep going extra mile. To keep the genuine smile on people’s faces when they see our work, we work so hard to grow the brand and make amazing shoe designs.
Itelemibyara started in 2018 as a side hustle while i worked a 9AM – 5PM Job. The company kicked off 2019/2020 fully as a company. Mushin, Lagos is where myself and my team sort materials and work at the moment as we don’t have a physical store yet.

Our mission is to efficiently and effectively satisfy our customer’s needs. This means that we consider our clients as family and friends. we involve suppliers in a process of continuing improvement and we work to perfect our processes.

Our values are doing work correctly and following through on commitments
passion as a drive for excellence.
competing fairly on the market as a team. Transparency, integrity and honesty.

We have experienced so many challenges in business but good people who really love our brand have helped in a way or another.

The trust that consumers place in our brands and the products we distribute is our company’s most precious asset. Our success is based on the quality of our products, on the correct positioning of value for money spent by our clients and on a good reputation. Our team is firmly committed to finding new occasions and opportunities, and we are strongly motivated to maintain and improve our reputation continuously through honest, responsible and respectful interaction with our consumers and clients.

We have lots of supporters who believe in our work but simultaneously, there are also doubting people who don’t believe in our craft – handmade footwears made in Nigeria. Despite all odds we have thrived and is currently recognized to an extent in my home country Nigeria. I really hope for more recognition and financial assistance.

My passion and belief in building shoes and putting smiles on people’s faces has made my resilience in the field grow stronger.

There were times i was tired and ready to stop business and close up the company because of the doubts so many people have about Nigerian hand made footwears and their quality. But as a fighter and visionary hoping to pierce through the minds and hearts of customers, i keep pushing and getting better at what i do.

I have come to the realisation that I can do better and i am strong, my discovery of persistence is my drive to make my business easier and successful.
Through disappointment, rejection, criticism, doubts, tears and depression because of very poor sales, Jesus Christ
still remains my source of strength. He is always my pillar that i will always hold unto. I realized that all businesses are bound to face tough times, it’s proof of progress.

I Can Do All Things Through Christ That Strengthens Me.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Yes actually.. Leaving school and having to face reality, navigate life as a young adult was not an easy one I must say.

I had this job where I worked in a fashion house as a sales person in Victoria island Ikoyi.
It was a 9am–6pm job. I get home every day exhausted.

One day I thought to myself Aramide this salary is nothing, how many years do you have to work before you get on your feet. I was thinking of what to do, then the thought of shoe making came to my mind as I have an experience in making shoes but because of my work then I couldn’t make it myself so I got people to do them while I handle the social media pages.

But still wasn’t satisfied, the people I got were disappointing me, they don’t finish my shoes the way I wanted them, delivery was frustrating me and all of that.

One day I said to myself. YOU HAVE A BRAND TO WORK ON!!! And this job is holding me down, so I resigned to face my shoe business in full.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Through my social media accounts. I send a broadcast message on WhatsApp.

So for every customers I get on Instagram, Twitter and the likes I make sure to get their contacts for check ups and to let them know when we have sales or promo.

I send encouraging words and comedy just to put smiles on their faces and for some I message them one on one.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/itelemibyara
• Facebook: Abiola Ahmed
• Linkedin: Abiola Ahmed
• Twitter: ayorrkah
• Youtube: Aramide Akinbo

Image Credits
Credit to Itelemibyara Abiola Aramide Ahmed.