Aduloju Nene is a practising safety engineer who is also the founder of A- One Craft business hub, a handmade bag brand that has been crafting unique designs over the years for clients. Let’s read up on her success story.
Tell us about yourself
Sure, so, my name is Mrs Aduloju Nene and I am a practising safety engineer and the founder of A-ONE Craft Business Hub (@aone_acbh on Instagram).
For the past 4 years, I’ve been growing and still a work-in-progress custom handmade bag as the creative and owner.
I have some background in bag making from other big brands and I also interned with the same brand that I learnt the craft from for 1 year after a rigorous training of 6 months on the act of bag making with other handmade accessories. Though I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at The Federal University of Technology Akure; I also have a diploma in safety engineering which I use as another source of income; my love for craft started in my 200l while I was in the university, I just always felt my hands were made for more and not just technical drawing alone and I didn’t take it seriously until 2019. It wasn’t always bagged making because I tried a couple of handcraft skills like beading, baking, sewing outfits for both males and females, palm making, braiding and hair crotchet; the best way I made money from all these skills but along the line, I would get tired until I stumbled on bag making and it’s been a consistent journey since I started it, Thank God.
Moving forward, I hope to expand my bag-making from an online store to a physical store by God’s grace.
What does your business do and how it started
My growing handmade bag brand started on 16th May 2019 with the need to be able to customize any bag you get from us during production to what fits your daily needs in terms of more features you would want to be added to a specific design of the bag you were getting from us and it can be made in Afrocentric pieces, a blend of Afrocentric pieces with leather or just leather. Exciting right, that’s why you need to make us your go-to handmade bag brand.
How do you solve your customer’s challenge?
Our growing handmade brand allows our customer to be able to choose which material should be used to make their bag and we also allow them to add more features to the inside of the bag at no extra cost.
Who are your ideal customers?
Our ideal customers are the unique modern men and women who want to always stand out in their looks and still carry out their essentials in style without breaking the bank.
Can you describe/outline your typical day?
A typical day would be me clearing my to-do list for the day by starting with prayers to my God and then making sure there are no chats left un-read on my business WhatsApp and Instagram before I post online at active times and just basically clear out my to-do list for the day.
How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
First, I am grateful to God for a supportive family, my husband would basically see his colleague or boss and make them buy from me instantly, and my dad brothers and sisters; my whole family would encourage me to keep pushing forward not only with words of the month but also financially; my mother always tells me “ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY” and that has also kept me on my toe.
What motivates you?
The fear of looking back and not having anything apart from family to be grateful for and not being financially stable without being over-dependent, I am not ungrateful for what I have but it’s a nice vibe when you can also do something nice for people are always supporting you instead of always a collector.
What is your greatest fear?
The fear of looking back and not having anything apart from family to be grateful for and not being financially stable without being over-dependent, I am not ungrateful for what I have but it’s a nice vibe when you can also do something nice for people who are always supporting you instead of always a collector.
How do you define success?
Celebrating the small wins because slow-moving is better than no movement.
What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Being able to exercise my creative ability and make money from it while enjoying myself, it’s really cool.
If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
I would just list them out
➢ Bookkeeping.
➢ Better packaging.
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
It would be
➢ Learn the skill you want to venture into physically
➢ Be consistent in the skill, you could post your daily growth; it shows you are authentic.
➢ Be patient, it might not always work out the way you plan. So, hold on to your faith and be hopeful while putting in the work.
Who has been your greatest inspiration?
Myself, the fact that I always want to improve on me has always been my greatest inspiration.
What advice would you give to people who want to become entrepreneurs?
Learn the job first, if it’s something you can’t do alone contract it out, it’s still a “win”.
What business-related book has inspired you the most?
Rich dad, poor dad.
If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
A step with Nene
Please share the contact details you wish to be made public.
Kindly reach out to us on our social media
Instagram @aone_acbh
Facebook A-ONE Craft Business Hub
WhatsApp 08052368289 (chat only)
