We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nana Jerome-Akiti a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Almost every entrepreneur we know has considered donating a portion of their sales to an organization or cause – how did you make the decision of whether to donate? We’d love to hear the backstory if you’re open to sharing the details.

Yes, I donate 10% percentage of Maeli Amor’s profit to a cause very close to my heart, supporting children’s education in Africa, both boys and girls. Through the Maeli Amor Foundation, we invest in school supplies, tuition assistance, and educational resources for underserved communities.

Why? Because I know firsthand how life-changing education can be. As a Nigerian immigrant and a mother, I believe every child deserves the opportunity to dream, grow, and thrive regardless of where they’re born. Giving back through Maeli Amor is my way of turning creativity into impact, and using fashion as a vehicle for change. Empowered children grow into empowered adults, and that’s a legacy worth building.

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.

My name is Nana Jerome-Akiti, and I am the founder of Maeli Amor, a luxury fashion accessory brand designed to empower bold, sophisticated women around the world. I was born and raised in Nigeria, where my love for art began as a young girl. I used to spend hours sketching portraits, dresses, handbags, and earrings. But that love was cut short when my father insisted I pursue medicine and forbade me from drawing again. He confiscated all my artwork and I didn’t pick up a pencil again for over 35 years.

After my father passed away in 2023, my mother sent me a package from Nigeria. Inside were the very sketches my father had taken from me, portraits of him, and fashion designs I had created as a child. I was overwhelmed with emotion. At first, I couldn’t even look at them. I tossed them into a corner of my home. But then, my 6-year-old daughter found them. She began cutting them out, dressing her dolls with my designs, and even attaching the earrings and bags with paper tape. She later exhausted them then came to me and asked, “Mommy, can you draw more for me?”

That moment awakened something inside me. I started sketching again first for her. One day, as I watched her play with the designs while she dressed up her dolls with the paper pieces, I asked myself: Why not bring these ideas to life? Why not create bold, tangible pieces that real women can wear and feel powerful in? That was the birth of Maeli Amor.

Maeli Amor is named after my two children, Maro and Eliana, and it reflects my journey, my healing, and my passion for creative expression. Our products include high-end handbags, jewelry, scarves, and hair accessories that are not only beautifully crafted, but also tell stories of heritage, resilience, and elegance. Each piece begins as a hand-drawn sketch and goes through an intentional process of refinement from selecting the right leather or metals to creating custom hardware and finishes.

What sets Maeli Amor apart is our commitment to storytelling through design. Every product is a statement piece, exquisitely made, and designed to help women express their individuality. We also pride ourselves on giving back: through the Maeli Amor Foundation, we support children’s education in Africa, investing in the dreams of tomorrow.

What I’m most proud of is how personal this brand is. It’s not just about fashion to me, it’s about rediscovery, legacy, and purpose. I want every woman who owns a Maeli Amor piece to feel seen, celebrated, and unstoppable.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Yes, several resources have significantly shaped my entrepreneurial journey and mindset especially as a creative founder building a luxury brand from the ground up.

• The Lean Startup: by Eric Ries
This book taught me how to test ideas quickly, learn from feedback, and pivot with intention. It helped me embrace progress over perfection and build Maeli Amor with sustainability in mind.

• Start with Why: by Simon Sinek
This book helped me reconnect with my deeper purpose, not just to design beautiful pieces, but to empower bold, sophisticated women around the world. Knowing my “why” gives Maeli Amor its soul.

• How I Built This: podcast by Guy Raz
Listening to the raw, unfiltered stories of other founders especially women and immigrants reminded me that resilience and vision are more important than perfection. It also affirmed that challenges are part of every beautiful success story.

• TED Talk: The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown
As a creative and a mother, this talk helped me embrace the courage in vulnerability. Opening up about my story, the loss of my father, rediscovering art through my daughter has made the Maeli Amor brand more meaningful.
These resources have helped shape both my business strategy and the heart-centered approach I bring into leadership, storytelling, and design.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A major lesson I had to unlearn was that creativity isn’t a “real” career path. For a long time, I believed that success had to follow a traditional route especially because that’s what I was taught growing up. I suppressed my creative instincts and followed a more conventional professional path. But over time, I realized that fulfillment doesn’t come from doing what’s expected; it comes from honoring who you truly are. Unlearning that belief allowed me to embrace my creative vision fully and build a brand rooted in art, authenticity, and bold expression. It’s a lesson that changed not only how I work, but how I live.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maeliamor.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maeliamor
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/maeliamor

Image Credits

Handbag: @maeliamor