Celebrity stylist and designer, Toyin Lawani is in a happy mood right now. Her business is 20 years now and she is celebrating it big, by expanding her operations to Turkey.
Right now, she and some of her friends are in Turkey to celebrate her birthday. She chose Turkey to get her friends to see, first hand, her new shop in Turkey. She has done well for herself.
From her childhood years, Toyin Lawani, has been destined for greatness but not until the age of 16 did she find her way.
Many don’t know she was born to a royal family in Ekiti State with a super amazing dad and an Industrious Mum, the late Atinuke Babalola. Toyin Lawani learnt from the tender age of 10 about Herbal Cosmetology and later attended Oprah Benson Beauty Institute to further her understanding about the trade.
She was exposed to so many journeys outside the country, but her joy for the styling and the fashion world led her to her most renowned profession as a Celebrity Designer and Stylist within and outside the country.
She’s also the first Nigerian to try the run on the runway trick with models at the 2013 Africa Fashion Week London. Toyin Lawani has seen it all. She has styled some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. She was also the lead stylist who created over 200 costumes for the Love Like a movie show in 2015 and had the opportunity to style Ciara for the event and also styled Ciara’s entire crew for the street dance off.
With numerous awards to her name, Toyin Lawani isn’t ready to stop and wish to take the fashion brand to the international market. She’s also a philanthropist, an hair stylist, a video director and more.
Toyin Lawani, a renowned celebrity stylist who has styled some of the biggest names within and outside the industry. An extraordinary Designer with a touch of brilliance to every outfit made. A philanthropist with a heart of gold who has helped disabled and abled people for years, an hairstylist, a lovely cook, a real estate agent, travel agent, a beautician with over 15 years experience in providing herbal solutions to skin issues, a video director, artist manager and also a super awesome mum.
She’s an extraordinary creative Designer, serial entrepreneur, business mogul, philanthropist, hairstylist, beautician, Skin expert, video director, artist manager, creative director, restauranteur, Fashion mogul, star maker, image-maker, realtor, fabric merchant, Homemaker, Building and construction, Teacher, choreographer, Photographer etc and also a super awesome mum.
She has her own reality show on Dstv 165 with Ebony life Tv and just recently premiered her Season 2.
Toyin runs 30 businesses under one roof called Tiannahs place empire, Tiannahstyling, ElegantebyTiannahstyling, Elegantebutik, Tiannahstyling Fashion Academy, Tiannahs beauty salon, Tiannahs barber shop, Tiannahs dance studio, Tiannahs photo studio, ElegantebyTiannahstyling men, Elegante kids, Tiannahstyling Video production, Tiannahs Glow Products, Amaladotcom1, Tiannahs beauty school, Tiannahs Travel and Tours ltd, Tiannahs Makeup studio, Tiannahs Home and furnishing limited, Tiannahs Fabric room, Tiannahs Spa, Tiannahs Nail Room, Tiannahs Tattoo Room, Tiannahs Modeling school, Hair Goddess, Tiannahs Ability in Disability Foundation, Tiannahs Empire Reality TV show, Tiannahs Business consultation, Tiannahs Kitchen, Elegante Weddings and Tiannahs Talent Agency.
In her recent book Be Unstoppable: The Business Mogul’s Guide, Toyin revealed how she started out. “Growing up, I had a lot going on, my father Olarenwaju Lawani, was the personal assistant of General Gowon. He had a military background being the son of a former Commissioner of Police and took no nonsense from anyone. From him, I learned to be tough and disciplined.
My mother- Princess Atinuke Babalola, on the other hand was a serial business mogul.
I loved her strength and dedication to work. She was a serial entrepreneur and I admired her daily.
At a very young age, I started to shadow her and learn the ropes of business, and not once did she ever discourage me. She would teach me more about business, adviced me each time I had an idea. Her mother had given her the room too, so it was only fair to give her daughter.
Her mother- Chief Mrs Babalola a monarch in Oyo who was married to the Minister of Works in the western region, ran over 50 businesses in Ibadan.
I was exposed early to business and my interest grew as I watched my grandma as influential as she was; take time out to run her businesses, stay involve and put in effort to grow daily and I held this as a inspiration since then.
I grew amongst powerful and rich people, but they taught me that humility will take you to places and that hard work will forever pay.
Why have I shared my pedigree with you? well; I want you to first of all learn independence, of all these people, what I took from them were experiences, lessons and blessings.
No one handed me anything or business, I had to work hard, and you my friend, can do same.
My journey as an entrepreneur started at age 16, when I got admission into the University of Lagos. I started at the “SPORT CENTRE”, selling clothes at a friend’s.
After a while life happened (we fell out) and I had to get my own shop.” (The reason we fell out is a story for another day if we ever get to discuss it).
“At some point in life, you meet people whose mercies and kind gestures can aid or would aid your dreams, but that only happens “Sometimes”, you do not need to wait for it before you take your independent steps however. Other times, people disappoint you and push you to your greatness even without knowing”
After I moved my things out of his space, I got a one-man room in my hostel “HALL 36” and then, almost as if everything started turning around for my good. I saw an empty shop space and took it as well.
Having my shop in the same premises as my hostel made it easy for me to make more money as the students will wake me up in the middle of the night to buy things they needed.
As annoying as it was to wake up from my sleep at very odd hours (I am talking as odd as 2am) to attend to customers, I also understood that I had my needs and I did not mind meeting them even if I had to lose sleep. They had my money and I wanted it. As sharp girl, there was no need to dull.
That, on its own taught me that proximity to your place of business can be really helpful.
So, right there, my Journey as an entrepreneur began.
To be successful in business is not a day’s job; it’s an adventure you prepare for, armed with an arsenal of knowledge, most of which you pull together from listening to people who have experiences and personal experiences you garner as you grow in business.
There are some key things I learnt over the years that have helped me till date, there are some others that I have had to unlearn too, in a way or the other, they have all shaped the Toyin Lawani as a brand that you see today.
These, to me are a few tips you need to know as an entrepreneur, especially if you are looking at running multiple businesses.
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