•Relives journey from chef to CEO with presence in 60 nations
Her life story is as advanced as it’s compelling. At first look, she comes throughout as simply one other woman. However Yusuf Balikis Omobukola, a 31-year-old graduate of Worldwide Enterprise Administration from the United Arab Emirates is a serial entrepreneur. She understands that life is way over bizarre, and to reach it, one should embody grit, onerous work and unwavering perseverance. Because the proprietor and CEO of Opeke Farms Nigeria Restricted, Yusuf leads the best way within the manufacturing and distribution of natural treatments, packaged foodstuffs and trend outfits to markets across the globe. She shares her success story with GBENGA ADERANTI, detailing how she constructed a thriving enterprise round pure treatments whereas supplying to over 60 nations worldwide.
What had been you doing in Dubai?
Dubai holds a particular place in my coronary heart. It’s my success story, and I think about it my second residence. After I arrived in Dubai, I had simply N37,000 with me. Luckily, a good friend took me in whereas I looked for a job. I made each effort to navigate my new environment, continually reminding myself that so long as I’ve these arms and this head, I can create one thing from nothing.”
One key think about my journey was the help I obtained. After six months of residing with my good friend, I managed to assemble some cash from others and was lastly capable of lease a small room of my very own. I then linked with a household good friend in Dubai who was married to a Filipino lady who couldn’t cook dinner. This good friend contacted me to arrange Nigerian dishes, and he loved my cooking a lot that he inspired me to contemplate commercialising my culinary abilities, as there have been few choices for Nigerian meals within the space. He even lent me some cash to get began, which allowed me to start cooking meals, plate by plate, with the assistance of a supply particular person. We later expanded our menu to incorporate fried rice and jollof rice. There have been occasions once we didn’t put together sufficient meals, and different occasions once we had leftovers that we’d eat for the day.
However you stated you had been in paid employment…
Sure. From promoting meals, I obtained a paid employment. That was dramatic too. One of many common guests to Dubai from Nigeria, I feel he was into visa processing, simply known as me in the future to say that any individual needed to see me. The particular person simply stated that the best way I conduct myself, I seem reliable. He later gave me 2,500 dirhams for retains.
After in search of his permission, I made a decision to take a position the cash in lodging enterprise. I secured an enormous room the place I saved two bunk beds. There, I accommodated 4 individuals, and I used to be charging 700 dirham for a down mattress, 500 dirham for an up mattress. It was their cash I used to be utilizing to pay my lease.
It was one in every of my tenants who instructed me about an interview they attended. She stated that since I had already began promoting meals, I may apply as a result of they had been searching for an African chef. Initially, I stated I used to be not , however I later had a rethink. Later, one in every of them stated they’d a thanksgiving service of their church. I instructed them that I used to be a Muslim, they usually stated that because it was a thanksgiving service, anyone may attend.
In the course of the service, the pastor prophesied that I’d work in a restaurant, there can be an upcoming occasion that may announce me, and I’d change into a fantastic particular person within the UAE, ruling within the kitchen. I simply felt like I used to be solely promoting meals at residence, so I didn’t consider the prophecy.
I later went for the interview, they usually instructed me to arrange African meals. Then they stated that of all of the folks that had been coming for the interview, my meals was one of the best. I used to be employed on a wage of 3000 dirhams. That was October 2019. I bear in mind arriving within the UAE in March 2019. That was how I began working. They only gave me one place, and I don’t even know the place they gave me.
Alongside the road, after they needed to rearrange the organisational chart, all people was saying sure, sir and sure ma’am. My title was above all of them. That was how enmity began and that was the start of many issues to come back.
I obtained employed as Commi 1 and was promoted to Demi Chef, to Chef de Partie, to Junior Sous-Chef, then lastly Sous-Chef in Abayomi Cafe and Restaurant, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. I later resigned and got here again to Nigeria to arrange Opeke Farm Nigeria Restricted.
How would you describe your self since you’re into various things?
I’m a serial entrepreneur, as a result of I enterprise into many issues. However what individuals know me for is natural observe. We produce and we’re additionally consultants. We do our session by WhatsApp, by way of cellphone calls or you’ll be able to come bodily to the workplace. We even have a department in Lagos. If you come, you clarify what you’re going by means of. From there, we ask you questions. If it requires you to go and do a check-up, we inform you to go and do it. From the consultations, we all know what to advocate. It isn’t that we simply promote merchandise. Though there are merchandise we simply promote once you don’t have very vital well being points.
You simply talked about your natural merchandise…
Like I stated, I’m a serial entrepreneur. I’ve a trend model. I learnt tailoring from my mum once I was 11 years outdated. The natural treatments enterprise got here as a aspect hustle whereas I used to be in Dubai. I began having these ideas in the course of the corona virus interval. I wanted to cater for the household, children and all the pieces. The wage was not sufficient. I wanted to pay payments. I used to be additionally down with pile. I contacted residence to ship me one jedi (roots for curing pile). I used the herb, shared it with my colleagues, they usually appreciated it. I began promoting it to them.
From there, I developed a ardour for herbs and roots. When the one keg I had was about to be exhausted, I ordered for one more one. From there, they requested me to do it for them in kegs as an alternative of the photographs they had been taking. I felt it was getting somewhat bit attention-grabbing, so I began doing items, 4 bottles, 5 bottles and began promoting.
However then a problem got here. The UAE and Nigeria had a disaster, they usually began banning cargoes coming into the UAE. They seized one in every of my cargoes, however individuals had been asking me for the merchandise. It was once I instructed myself that I wanted to create extra time for the enterprise. I did some on-line programs and did some private analysis. That was when it occurred to me that I may begin this on my own, because it was tough to convey the cargo from Nigeria.
This was once I realised that it isn’t solely in Nigeria that they use herbs; all these white individuals had been utilizing them as nicely. I began sourcing my natural merchandise from India, as a result of India was very near Dubai. The Chinese language, Pakistani, Moroccans and Iranians additionally use herbs. I began sourcing my natural components and making most of them that we had been promoting, together with those for detoxing, manpower, and so forth.
There are different merchandise additionally for fertility for man and lady, and for infections. That was once I felt we might be doing our issues by ourselves. From there, we moved regularly and the enterprise saved rising. Once more, I felt that I couldn’t depend on this enterprise alone, so I ought to take into consideration one thing else. I felt like okay, I’m coming again to Nigeria. I requested myself, what can I do? I invested in stitching. I began doing movies and posting them on-line. That was how I began the style leg of my enterprise. We produce primarily able to put on.
Regardless of the actual fact I used to be working within the UAE, I used to be additionally finding out Worldwide Enterprise Administration on the Westford College Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. I’d go to work within the morning, come again in direction of night, pack prospects’ orders for herbs and anyone that needed to purchase little. Alongside the road, they had been sending able to put on from Nigeria to the UAE for the purchasers that wanted them. I’d go to class by 7 am, come again by 10 pm. That was my every day routine. I obtained myself so busy that I had no time for some other factor. I had it in my thoughts that it was time to hustle. When it’s time for enjoyable, I’d have sufficient time for enjoyable.
Most of my prospects are in Dubai, Center East normally, United Kingdom, Italy, United States and Canada. Now we have efficiently delivered to greater than 60 nations of the world. Let me additionally add that the majority of our orders come from Lagos, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja, Benin and so forth.
I noticed the packaged, ready-made meals merchandise too…
Sure, I simply felt I mustn’t abandon the five-year expertise I had in Dubai as a chef. I felt I may nonetheless spend money on it. I didn’t should open a restaurant. Restaurant work requires most consideration. I felt okay. I’ve the flexibility to make all these processed meals, remembering that on the place I used to be working, the lady all the time needed selfmade, even bread, as a result of I’m an expert baker as nicely.
All of the bread they had been utilizing in all our eight branches once I was within the UAE, it was our department that was baking them. We weren’t shopping for bread from exterior. All of the sauces, spices, tomato paste and orange jam that you just use in consuming bread, the chocolate you utilize in consuming bread, all the pieces was selfmade. I’ve all of the data. I felt I may nonetheless apply right here. On the most, I’d rent employees. I’d monitor all the pieces. That was how I began the meals processing, which was how Opeke Farm got here in.
My mission for Opeke Farm is to provide wholesome, ready-to-cook meals. These days, we must be very cautious about what we eat. Every little thing works hand in hand, each the meals and the natural method. I do inform individuals, meals is your primary medication. Meals will both make you wholesome or complicate your well being points.
In Dubai, you had your arms in lots of pies. Did this not have an effect on your well being?
It did. Because it was getting hectic, I proposed to my firm that I had no time for myself, and my sleep was getting tousled. I used to be sleeping for 3 to 4 hours every day due to my work. Sooner or later, I simply made up my thoughts to cease working, as a result of if I didn’t cease, I might need well being points alongside the road.
My work was a chef’s job, and we dealt with large occasions like occasions of 1000 individuals to 1500 individuals. It was a royal household. Think about getting ready 14 dishes for 700 individuals for seven days, and I used to be the one heading the group. I nonetheless needed to attend to all the pieces intimately with none mistake. I nonetheless wanted to take care of prospects and do my content material, and it was solely me there. So I simply stated I wanted to stop the job. However my supervisor rejected my proposal, saying that it was not doable. He made some engaging gives, they usually supplied me one other contract. They introduced me a promotion letter with an extra wage of 1,500 dirham, for me to remain.
To know the worth of 1500 dirham, it was the wage of a home assist. That was the best the corporate may add to anyone’s wage. However for me, they added 1,500 dirham, and that was the fifth promotion that I obtained. I accepted the provide to remain for one more six months to coach anyone after me, in order that the corporate wouldn’t have any problem once I left.
What can be your message to unemployed girls?
Nobody is coming that can assist you. You might be your primary saviour. So long as you’re decided, even in case you don’t have any abilities, go and be taught. Despite the fact that I’m working this enterprise, I simply graduated in Worldwide Enterprise Administration. Even though I’m doing that one, to handle the enterprise, I do on-line programs. At current, I’m finding out neuropathy in a school of pure medication. I’m doing a course on continual well being points. Even though the natural enterprise I’ve is hereditary, I’m nonetheless making an attempt as a lot as doable to accumulate extra data.
As a feminine entrepreneur, what are the challenges confronting you?
(Extended laughter) The challenges are many. First, there are locations that you just go, and they’ll simply really feel like a lady? There’s this perception in our society that solely a person will be profitable. The second they see a profitable lady, they really feel like how is that doable?
Secondly, in terms of this facet of my enterprise, it’s all the time like a lady promoting a person’s product; a lady promoting merchandise for erectile dysfunction, promoting sexual enhancement merchandise. What involves most individuals’s minds is that she is promiscuous. They won’t consider the advantages. They won’t consider the answer we try to offer. What involves their head is that she is speaking garbage. However these individuals criticising us are those searching for options. There are many challenges.
I’ve learn many humorous issues concerning the challenges Nigerians face in Dubai. How did you handle to outlive within the county?
Like I stated earlier, on the time for hustling, you hustle. When it’s time for enjoyable, you should have enjoyable. Primarily based on the query you requested, one factor about Dubai is that you must be centered. Don’t be like as a result of my good friend is doing this one, I need to do it. After I was in Dubai, individuals would lower your expenses to purchase gold. Till I left Dubai, I by no means bothered to learn the way a lot they had been promoting one gram of gold. I don’t chase life’s issues. What I used to be after was to have a superb life.
The observe then was that after I obtained my wage, after I’d take away my home lease, take away the one I needed to ship to my household, perhaps I needed to purchase somewhat meals stuff, the remaining one, I’d use to restock my items on the market. I knew so long as I wakened wholesome and superb, I’d earn money that day. The best way I helped myself increase the enterprise within the UAE earlier than I ended strolling round was to distribute my enterprise card. I’m a graphic designer. I designed the enterprise card myself. Anytime I got here again from work within the night, I’d stroll round, anyplace I noticed a black particular person, I’d give them my card, telling them that I promote this, I promote that. They might acquire my quantity.
Those that wanted herbs, I’d go and provides them.
Alongside the road, I began getting the contacts of the taxi drivers. Anytime there was a supply, I’d name them, and they’d do the supply. Later, I registered with logistics firms, they’d come to my home, decide them up, and they’d go and ship for me. My data of graphics helped me so much.
How reasonably priced are your merchandise?
All of the merchandise are reasonably priced. There’s a distinction between high quality and amount. What issues is what you get works for what you need or what you need it to work for. Every little thing is reasonably priced. Now we have merchandise of N15,000, we have now one in every of N10,000, additionally that of N18000. The best per product is N32,000.
How receptive had been the individuals once you first launched your product in Dubai?
Outdoors, they worth the herbs greater than us. It isn’t solely Nigerians which can be shopping for my merchandise, Arabs, Indians, Pakistanis, Britons. Some Russian women purchase and share my merchandise with their associates. For those who test on-line now, you’ll uncover that folks consider in natural treatments greater than the orthodox ones. The irony of the entire thing is that Opeke Natural treatments are accepted extra exterior the nation than in Nigeria.
You have got made a hit out of natural treatments. What’s the secret?
Other than you having ardour and curiosity, and you are attempting as a lot as doable to achieve extra data, God’s blessings and what you’re destined to be in life matter probably the most. Sadly, we all the time discover it very tough to consider issues round us, dismissing all the pieces as superstition. There’s nothing like superstition. Some persons are destined to be legal professionals, however they’re into trend. Some people who find themselves destined to be cooks, in the event that they pursue the profession, they are going to be extra profitable. But when they wish to go into music, that’s it.
I began what I’m doing as a aspect hustle. The principle goal of the model just isn’t primarily to earn money however reasonably to make individuals consider that there’s treatment in nature.
