Bakare Bunmi: The Startup Story of a Creative Entrepreneur Who Turned N30,000 to N5 Million in 5 years
- Bakare Bunmi is a graduate of economics education from University of Lagos who discovered early enough that she loves doing anything that has to do with creativity
- Her company, Mimiez Cakes and Crafts, was birthed as a result of a long and fruitless job hunt after her National Youth Service Corps.
- She now employs and trains young girls in the skill of crafting bespoke cakes, in addition to having a yearly turnover in millions.
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It's one thing to be enthusiastic about something; it's quite another to transform that enthusiasm into a lucrative business.
It may take perseverance, a never-say-die attitude, and a dash of luck, especially in a difficult environment like Nigeria.
Bakare Bunmi, the creative director of Mimiez Cakes and Crafts, is one of the few Nigerians with a successful story.
Source: Original
The Beginning
"I began the company in 2012, and it hasn't been easy. I had 30,000 in my account when I chose to start, and I knew I needed to do something because the white collar job wasn't coming. It was a true psychological test for me as a graduate, broke, and fresh out of a cooking school.
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"Excluding an oven and a cake mixer, I had to use a wooden stick and a pot of sand on stove for about a year before I could save up to buy. The passion I had for the work made it easier to forge forward and keep pushing regardless of the little equipments I had then. Over the years now I've been able to buy a larger number of equipments which has made working even much easier."
Source: Original
Journey so far
Bakare went on to detail her eight-year journey to converting her passion into a business that makes over a million Naira as a result of her perseverance.
She said:
"Looking back, I am proud of what I have accomplished. I not only make money, but I've also been able to build a name for myself in a field where everyone needs to stand out in order to be noticed, while also providing young ladies a chance to find their way."
Her advice to individuals who are hesitant to start a company is as follows:
"The biggest challenge that entrepreneurs face is not from the outside. It is an internal struggle. The constant self-doubt keeps screaming at you and makes you question if you have it in you to succeed. If left unchecked, self-doubt can eat you away and make you a negative and depressed person."
Olubunmi Otufowora Turned Her Pregnancy Cravings into a N20million Business
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported how pregnancy hormones pushed Olubunmi Otufowora, a pharmacist, into the smoothie business in Nigeria about ten years ago.
The Pharmacist has faced several challenges in the course of her business, forcing her to re-strategise to fit into market realities.
She started Boomsky Smoothies from her kitchen with one blender, but now has an asset worth over N5 million, with a turnover of over N20 million.
Source: Legit.ng
