How Olawumi Ogunbode makes money from soaps, shea butter, honey

Olawumi Ogunbode is the CEO of Jarah, a subsidiary of Shadonai Resources Limited that produces skin products such as soap, honey, carrot oil, coconut oil and shea butter, popularly known as ‘Ori’. A graduate of English from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Olawumi started her business while a student. Her desire has always been to be part of the made-in-Nigeria project.

“I started my business in 2013 with the desire to change the type of soaps in the market, which often contain harsh chemicals that could cause skin irritation. I noticed that most of the bathing soaps in the market were produced using chemicals that were harsh on the skin. I decided not use any soap that I did not know how it was produced. Then I started working on my skin and people started coming to me for advice,” she explains.

The young entrepreneur had been using black soap since 2001 until she decided to incorporate natural ingredients such as egg white and lemon. In 2013, she commercialised her products and created awareness on them. Ever since then, her sales have gone beyond her expectation. She is happy to have attracted many Nigerians to her products.

The young entrepreneur did not stop there. She committed time and resources to learning about black soap and she now has her own recipe, which is different from others.

“I started my business with less than N5, 000, which I used to buy materials. My black soap business alone is worth over N100, 000. I have two employees and source materials from factories where they are produced in the country. My black soaps are unique because I check the skin texture and complexion coupled with other requirements before production,” she says.

The entrepreneur believes that time will come when she will go into mass production and will have general products for oily skin and dry skin, among others.

Olawumi has been able to create awareness through word of mouth, social media, her website and referrals.

She says the business is lucrative as women will always want their skins to glow without wearing makeup, adding that men also patronise her because of the quality of the products.

The entrepreneur has long-term customers and says that Nigerians have not learnt to believe in their own products.

“I do not really have problem with the shea butter and other products I make, but my major concern which is the black soap. I notice that people prefer to buy soaps from Ghana and the UK, but my soap is as original as those ones from abroad,” she states.

The young entrepreneur is planning to expand across the country and ensure that every household uses her products.

“My long-term plan is to run the business and be the leading brand. Nigerians do not appreciate their own locally made products because we do not believe in each other. We do not know the efficacy and worth of our local made products,” she notes.

She urges the government to empower local entrepreneurs to produce more, while calling for a better business environment for entrepreneurs.

Angel James