I have always liked shoes, I remember passing a particular store on my way back from school everyday day around Opebi, Ikeja. The store had chairs shaped like giant stilettos, it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen and it stuck till now.
I started my shoe business (@_perfectfeet_) during the COVID-19 lockdown, it was a huge risk, being that the economy was declining but I took the risk anyway.
I wanted to get busy. Being a student with multiple streams of income wasn’t exactly a bad idea but I was particular about making money doing the things I liked and now love. Honestly, I just really needed a big win.
One of my greatest fear was “STARTING”. I wasn’t totally clueless about how to go about the business, I was more concerned about how people would respond to it. Would it meet my expectations? Would people patronize? Was this a risk I was willing to take? Don’t I have to read books about the business before starting? Aren’t there a lot of people in this business already??
Were FAQs that kept circling in my head.
I had saved a lot of money from my allowance intentionally for it, depriving myself of a lot of luxury and making enough capital to start only to get cold feet and contemplate ditching the idea sounded so painful.
I decided to call a friend who is well inclined in the business world and she gave me more insight and depth, we spoke for more than 2 days weighing the pros and cons of it all, prayed for clarity and I finally conquered my fear, answered my questions and decided to start. Within a week I sent out broadcast messages and opened a business account on Instagram and its been growth, losses, and wins from then.
Although I started with basic knowledge about the business, I have learned much more about the technicalities that come with running a business in general and one like this in particular.
One of the biggest risks I took was getting a supplier online, I couldn’t go anywhere due to covid restrictions so everything I had to do had to be online. I found this woman online, I didn’t even know her name. She responded well, too well in-fact I was beginning to think it was a scam but I went on with it anyway.
I got my first order after 3 days, I contacted my supplier paid her and I waited for the delivery to be made, it was the longest 10hours of my life, I was restless and scared, I was almost sick and the restlessness did not stop until it was delivered, getting my first review was like icing on the cake and I’ve been less nervous about the deliveries since then.
@_Perfectfeet_ is my online shoe business that I am very intentional about. I am fully aware of its possibilities of growing into a global brand and I am carefully working towards it.
It has been a vision that I am now taking
Ogedengbe Adedolapo
CEO – Perfect Feet
