For many people, making a statement about your persona means putting on pricey wears, living in exotic houses, driving posh cars and the whole nine, but all of these do not necessarily define class because having a lot of money doesn’t mean you are up-to-the-minute; sometimes knowing what fits and using it appropriately is what really counts. Now, if there is someone I know who effortlessly defines class, then it has got to be Stan Mukoro. Period!
If you call him a lifestyle mentor, you might have just scratched the surface because he is the brand custodian of Bentley Motors team in Atlanta.
“Wow! No wonder…” I hear you say, and at least I have got you to match my descriptions with the personality of my ‘date’ for this week. I am assuming you are saying, “Thank you, Kemi, for this exposé”, and I am saying, “You are welcome”, with a broad smile on my face.
I believe so much in Nigeria that whenever I hear of Nigerians in the diaspora representing their country well in character and deeds, my hope in a better Nigeria mounts. I daresay Stan is one of such persons. Though a brand custodian, he also helps successful men present their best self in all situations. Taking a highly personal and customized approach to service, Stan assists his urbane clientele in finding their own personal style. He helps them to find that perfect fit to match their personality, work and lifestyle, working hard behind the scenes to make sure that for his clients, the ongoing process of maintaining one’s image and appearance always looks and feels effortlessly elegant.
Stan grew up in a loving, Catholic home. His parents shared a deep love for their faith and wanted to ensure that, above all else, their children did too. “I am the youngest of four children” he begins and adds “The relationship between Gerry, Aloy, Angela and I had a profound effect on me. My father is Ted Mukoro, the iconic copywriter of Star beer’s ‘shine shine bobo’ advertisement and famous first headmaster in Nigeria’s longest TV series, The Village Headmaster. Throughout his career he has traversed television, radio, advertising, branding, and so on. At an early age I was privileged to travel around with him and through those experiences and more I gained the strength, courage and confidence to be able to succeed as a Nigerian in corporate America”. He explains
I couldn’t wait to hear about the ‘Bentley connection’ so I asked him and he brilliantly gives it away “After a three-year hiatus from the automotive sector, I joined the Bentley Motors team in Atlanta in 2011 as a brand custodian overseeing sales and marketing. Modern Luxury, the parent company of The Atlantan Magazine invited me to the exclusive launch of the Bentley Continental GT. After twenty years in the business, my excitement was rejuvenated by the challenge put forth by the Bentley Motors management team who asked me to join to help increase their market share in the ultra-luxury auto market in Atlanta and beyond.”
“My first day with Bentley differed from my first day with Mercedes Benz and BMW where the showrooms are quite active. A Bentley Motors showroom is quiet with minimal traffic. Our clients are global influencers and with that in mind, we minimize their visits to the dealership as much as we possibly can.” He says.
Nigerians are usually identified with their exquisite taste for different things. This Stan agrees to when he says “Nigerians have exquisite taste. We top the list as consumers of global ultra-luxury brands. It is not surprising to see many of these brands entering the Nigerian market. Rolls Royce, Ermenegildo Zegna, Hugo Boss, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga, Tom Ford and Lanvin are the first of many that will come. There is a huge market for exotic cars in Nigeria. Bugatti, Pagani, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche and others can be spotted on the compounds or in the garages of the elite. As long as wealth continues to expand, we will continue to buy.”
If there is one thing Bentley is known for, it is that they build each Bentley to customer specifications. Stan speaks of how this is done. Hear him “we have a ‘commission room’ where we assist our clients in configuring the vehicle of their choice. We offer over one hundred paint colors, a wide variety of leather hides and wood veneers. We use hides from Scandinavian bulls that live free of barbed wire so there are fewer imperfections. The average bespoke order takes approximately six to seven months. If a client wants a specific color not in our selection we are pleased to accommodate them.” He reveals.
Talk about the joy of motherhood that of course is what Stan’s wife feels when she puts to bed their beautiful baby girl. Stan says it was the happiest day of his life “It was indeed my happiest day. To see my wife bring forth another life was amazing. There is no other experience that can compare to this.” “uwwwww…how nice” was that what you just said after reading that ‘confession?’, well, you are not alone, I just said the same too!
Ok, back at the ranch, I asked Stan what his views are concerning the ban on importation of cars and his response was indeed enlightening. “I do not support the ban of importation of all cars into Nigeria. However, I do support the notion that Nigeria should be manufacturing and exporting automobiles. The intelligence in this country is extremely high; there is no reason why we cannot be successful in this sector. In the United States, there are several Nigerian designers employed by American automakers. One of note is Jelani Aliyu, a lead exterior designer for General Motors who hails from Sokoto State. He could certainly be performing the same job right here in his own country.” He says and I thought to myself, “Jelani Aliyu on my mind now, who knows, I might be interviewing him soon…”watch this space!
Stan tells me he has decided to remain true to himself no matter how intimidating or judgmental the world can be. For him, the simplest things that money cannot buy reveal what is most important in his life. “I am grateful for my faith, my family, my friends and my life.” He admits.
Furthermore, I asked Stan to define Bentley for me in few words and he couldn’t be more apt when he said “simple, handcrafted, bespoke, ultra-luxury automobiles with extreme performance.” Having said that, don’t you feel like having one? (or at least dream about having one?…lol).
So I let my salivary glands heat up and just for ‘hope’ sake I asked the price range for a Bentley and he says “our new vehicle prices range anywhere from the low $200’s to low $400’s.” ummm, thousand dollars he meant…just saying!
For Stan, balancing his personal life and his career has been most challenging because one almost always overlaps the other. “Being a husband, a father, a son and a brother are my priority but I rarely take vacation time or down time to relax. The most important thing I can do is to be clear about my priorities and constantly review what I am doing to make sure it is in line with what is most important to me.”
And to anyone who intends to buy any car, Stan concludes this interview with an admonition for you saying “once you have decided to buy a new car, it is important to first balance needs and wants then set your budget.”….it’s a wrap! Catch you next week…
By: KEMI AJUMOBI
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