Stella Okeke: Wig maker who sells her products to foreign buyers

Stella Okeke is a professional wig maker who owns an online known as Stelly Collections. Stella is working from home but makes more money than many who own shops in popular markets.

“I used to be a full-time house wife. My friend came in from Kenya for wig training, but seeing me at home doing nothing, she said to me that despite the difficulty in getting a job, it wasn’t proper to stay idle. Her words and encouragement pushed me into starting something, and I decided to venture into wig making,” Stella told Start-Up Digest.

Stella said that the business does not require dexterity, meaning that anyone can venture into it and still succeed.

Stella started few months ago, paying only training fees. So far, she has made more than N200, 000 in two months and she considers herself a professional wig maker who has presence online.

The entrepreneur said apart from her home, she does not have any physical outlet now as she sells her products online. She admitted that it is the best way to market products in the 21st century.

She said it is important to sample one’s best products online to attract buyers from Nigeria and beyond.

“When people place orders and pay, you can use the money to get the materials and then produce. What I did was that I sampled the three projects I handled during my training, online, and I got orders and sold them all. That’s how I started, which I think is the best way, because only few people would want to pay when they know you don’t have a shop,” she explained.

“What helped me most and still helps me is the comments people drop on my page. This convinces others and pulls more clients my way. But sometimes, we don’t tell them to pay in full so they can be at rest,” she stated.

She said that it takes little money to learn the trade.

“Even if you don’t have money, you can negotiate with the trainer and enter into an arrangement with them,” she stated.

“There are technological devices that can be used in the business. I use both hands and machine. I was only taught handmade, but with the machine, I noticed that it is neater. I have the machine already which was given to me as a gift from someone, and you must learn how to use the machine before you can make a wig with it. Getting the machine is not that expensive but the challenge is using it because it requires power, which is one of our challenges in Nigeria,” she explained.

Amid slow economic recovery, Stella said one major priority for people now is to eat. She was, however, quick to add that ladies will always want to look good, whether there is money or not.

“Ladies must strive to look good. Married men want their wives to look good and we are making it well from the business,” she said.

“I meet foreign clients online and I am involved in Instagram sponsorship. So it comes up on Instagram fast, which is how I get my clients. I am not yet on other social media networks, so I hope to achieve more through signing up on other social media platforms. I have exported to London and Brazil,” she said.

“My only challenge is competition. Many people are into this business, and everybody wants to sell. Some people charge less and it affects the industry. But what matters is the quality, so even if it is expensive but worth the price, people will buy. In order for me to overcome this, I make my products unique,” Stella boasted.

She stated that the business has made her independent, stressing that her long-term plan is to be known worldwide.

“I want to be prominent and make my brand trend. Get an outlet, empower and train people, expand and involve similar business because it is really profitable,” she added.

“People who have nothing doing should come and learn this business. It doesn’t cost much and it doesn’t take time to learn. So long as you have hands, there is no need sitting down doing nothing,” she advised.

ANGEL JAMES