Omoronike is a seasoned communications practitioner whose experience in marketing, public relations, advertising, media and data intelligence cut across sectors and industries. With her solid background in media, marketing, clients management, negotiation, as well as content and strategy development and implementation, she has effectively managed and partnered with foremost Nigerian and international brands within the telecoms, financial services, and development sectors, providing services to corporate organisations including MTN Nigeria, Society for Family Health (SFH), First Bank Nigeria (FBN), Family Health International (FHI360), and a number of others.
Aside being a certified member of the Advertising
Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Omoronike holds a Master’s degree in
Business Administration from the Metropolitan School of Business and
Management, UK; a Diploma in Marketing Communications from the Chartered
Institute of Marketing (CIM, UK); a Higher National Diploma and a Bachelor of
Science degree in Mass Communications from the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and
Tansian University Nigeria respectively.
Having worked with a couple of media and advertising agencies, learning the ropes, she established Fontem Communications, a growing media and communications agency, which she presides over as the Managing Director, overseeing a young and dynamic team.
As a serial entrepreneur, she ventured into nurturing her
passion through the establishment of Caramia Clothiers, a multifunctional
bespoke fashion company, through which she expresses her passion for fashion
and creativity.
Following years of service to family and friends whom she
provided with free home-made skincare products, that were adjudged to be very
effective and loved by many, she proceeded to acquire professional training and
skills in skincare products development and formulation, and with the knowledge
gained as a quick and forward-thinking learner, she recently founded Yazmin
Essentials, a luxury skincare brand aimed at delivering safe and effective
skincare products inspired by nature.
Omoronike is married and she is a mother of two adorable children.
In this interview with Oyinlola Sale, she explains what led
her into creating her Skincare line, Yazmin Essentials.
Tell
us the story behind the name of your skincare line Yazmin Essentials?
Yasmin is my daughter’s name; it is of Arabic origin. It is a
variant of the name Jasmine which is the name of a beautiful flower. There was
no one more excited than my daughter when I conceived the thought of creating a
skincare brand, I knew immediately that I should name the brand after her. The
name also perfectly represents the essence of the brand as a natural skincare
brand. My son was feeling left out so we switched the ‘’S ‘’ for ‘’Z’’ which
stands for Ziyyad, and YAZMIN was born. It is safe to say I named the brand
after my kids.
What
are the hidden Opportunities in the Cosmetics Industry?
The cosmetics industry is a big and viable one because it
covers a wide range of business lines. This includes skin care, hair care, color
cosmetics, toiletries/baths etc. I am going to focus on the skincare sector
since that is where I operate.
As you may be aware, the skincare industry is quite saturated.
Modern-day technologies have made it easy for new entrants, there is an
undeniable access to knowledge, production requirements and marketing needs. I
don’t think there is anything you want to do now that someone else has not
already started, so there are numerous learning grounds one can build on. But
for you to carve a niche for your business and create a sustainable brand, you
must wear your thinking cap and your creativity must be top-notch. Trust me,
that is where the work is.
There are so many business opportunities. One can decide to
formulate products and sell, you can decide to invest in the importation of
skincare ingredients and materials, you may decide to establish and run a
formulation lab that can be leased to formulators, you may focus on selling
packaging and branding materials, another person may decide not to formulate
products but create a distribution network for existing brands: wholesale or retail.
I could go on and on. There are numerous opportunities in the industry but is
largely dependent on how informed you are, your determination and of course
your financial capacity.
Is
the Cosmetics Industry Capital Intensive?
As it is obtainable in other sectors, capital is a great
determinant of how big or small a business would be. How much capital that is
needed to start a business depends on how big the vision of the founder is. So,
the answer is yes and no.
Yes, it is capital intensive if you want to create a
formidable brand that caters for a variety of skin issues and reach many
consumers, or you want to position your brand as a luxury brand that caters to
the middle or upper class. These people are known to have certain expectations
which must reflect in the wide range of products you offer, the quality and
feel of the products, the packaging and presentation etc. This would
necessitate that you import a lot of your ingredients from abroad, your
packaging must be desirable and your marketing strategy on point. All of these
is not cheap at all.
No, if you want to start small and grow with time. You can
start by formulating products yourself, cut down on packaging and importation
costs. Do direct marketing and a lot of online and offline engagements with a
team of one or two people. Over time, as the brand grows you continue to scale
up.
What
are the challenges you have faced so far in the industry?
In the early days, I faced so many challenges. It is not easy
to run a business in a country like Nigeria. So many operational hiccups and
undue government regulations. My biggest challenge has been the high cost of
production due to limited access to affordable and quality formulation
ingredients and tools. Till date, the safest option remains importation of
these materials. A lot of local suppliers do not stock quality or original
ingredients, a few of them who do, sell at exorbitant rates which is no fault
of theirs really, the rate at which dollar increases is alarming.
Prices of ingredients and other materials increase at every
fresh purchase, but we dare not increase the prices of products at such
frequency else, customers will complain. Other challenges include lack of
access to good printing press and high cost of marketing. All of these are
enough to deter one, but as the popular saying goes “we move!’’.
Elaborate
on the Cosmetics Industry Then and Now?
As I mentioned earlier, technology has made the world easier.
Anyone interested in learning any business or trade now has access to
information at their fingertips. Unlike before, we now have a lot of
well-trained certified skincare specialists who have gone ahead to establish
formulation schools where they teach basic and advanced skincare formulation
courses. We also have many others offering online course most of which are
affordable. This was not the case back in the days. People had to go oversea to
gain such knowledge.
Another major difference is that a lot of Nigerians are now
inclined to using home grown skincare products which has brought growth to the
industry.
Also, it is now widely known that natural skincare formulation
goes beyond just using shea butter and black soap. Natural plants from
different parts of the continents are now being innovated into stable and safe
skincare ingredients that we now incorporate into formulation to deliver world
class standard products. A lot has changed, and it is a welcome and liberating
development.
Why
Should I use Yazmin Essentials for my Skin?
Firstly, let me tell you the story behind the existence of
this brand. My sisters, my mum and I for a long time struggled to get the right
skincare products, we would spend money on products that do not work, others
work but were too harsh and unsafe. I have always been curious about skincare,
fashion, and the likes. After many years of experimenting, I decided I will no
longer patronize any skincare brand except it is a safety conscious brand. I
started doing home skincare remedies that I shared with my sisters, and we were
getting amazing results. I would use turmeric, fresh aloe vera, cucumber, I
would make oils etc. to treat hyperpigmentation, pimples, sunburn, and other
skin concerns. And guess what, the results were mind blowing. As time went by,
I started extending to friends and colleagues who will later ask for refills.
It became obvious that this can no longer be a one-time thing,
there was need for consistency and product availability and amazingly all of
them were ready to pay. The push was encouraging so I decided to take the leap
and I enrolled in a proper cosmetology school where I bagged a certificate in
skincare formulation. I needed to know the rudiment of the business, I wanted
to offer my best.
So, use Yazmin because it is a brand birthed out of need.
Created to answer questions and fix your skin concerns with natural ingredients
inspired by nature. We create luxury products but offer them at affordable
prices. We cater to family needs; we know that many are wary of using cosmetics
products on their skin. We want your skin to be flawless and breathtaking but
never at the expense of health and safety. We are one brand you can trust!
Do
you have plans to expand your brand?
Our vision for the brand is for it to become the number one skincare brand out of Africa. We want to create a sustainable brand that will cater to the needs of every black person, man, or woman. An African brand by an African for Africans. We are taking it one day at a time, we are currently operating in Abuja, we intend to expand to other parts of Nigeria soon.
0 Comments