Mosunmola Akinpelu is the chief executive officer of Beholderplus, a Lagos-based makeup centre. Although wife and mother, she is a 200-level undergraduate of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) where she studies Accounting.
She describes her business as one that beautifies women and helps in increasing their confidence. She explains that she has always been interested in making people feel and look good, so did not have a problem becoming a makeup artist.
She started her business with N10,000, which she got from her savings and her sister . She started by getting basic makeup products which she used on clients. She saved her profits, invested in trainings and acquired more quality products which helped her to fully establish the business.
Although she is an administrative officer in a private hospital, she still works on her business, which she says has been making progress.
The entrepreneur says that she is able to get referrals and widen her clientele because of hard work and determination. Mosunmola explains that even when she was pregnant, she was still going for jobs. When she put to bed, she sometimes carried her baby along.
She has assistants and interns who work with her and she pays them. The entrepreneur also facilitates trainings for people whenever she is free.
“I use quality products because I deal with the face, which is one of the most delicate parts of the human body,” Mosunmola says.
“I get my products from verified makeup stores in Lagos and abroad,” she adds.
Speaking on challenges, she says that she prefers foreign products because, to her, they have better quality and are preferred by clients. Therefore, she spends more money on purchasing them. She further explains that most of these products are available abroad so she spends the scarce foreign exchange buying them and having them delivered.
She says the business is capital intensive as major instruments and products are expensive and almost unaffordable.
She urges the federal government to help ease the business environment for start-ups and encourage them with grants and single-digit interest rate loans. She also says that the foreign exchange rate should be made more favourable, especially for small businesses.
She explains that she is an advocate of customer satisfaction and maintains a friendly relationship with all her clients. She attends all kinds of trainings available, including webinars and seminars to ensure she develops herself and her services.
Speaking on her business expansion plans, Mosunmola says, “I intend to incorporate full-time cosmetology, have my own branded products for makeup and skin care and expanding my business internationally.”
“I want to have an institute that will serve as a training ground for those who want to learn makeup and cosmetology,” she discloses.
“I also want to work on getting my professional degrees and becoming a chartered accountant in the nearest future,” she adds.
She explains that juggling the positions of a family woman, a business owner and an employee is tasking but her family helps her and she tries to make time for each role so that none is adversely affected.
Mosunmola says she is inspired by God, Oke Maduewesi of Zaron Cosmetics, and her family. Her life values are hard work, consistency and self-development. Advising other entrepreneurs, she says that determination and hard work are compulsory for success.
Gbemi Faminu
