How I weathered challenges to develop into ‘celeb shoemaker’ – Zainab Ayomide

Alayande Zainab Ayomide, popularly often called the celeb shoemaker is the Chief Government Officer of Zeinny Crafts – a model devoted to creating sneakers, leather-based jackets, luggage, belts, wallets, bracelets, leather-based trend merchandise. Born and not using a silver spoon and raised by a single mom didn’t cease her from pursuing her goals as she narrated on this interview.

Transient historical past

My identify is Alayande Zainab Ayomide. I’m the primary feminine of my dad and mom, the 2nd youngster of my mother.

I attended boarding college throughout my main college days at Bufetola Youngsters College. Thereafter, I proceeded to Dee Final Complete Excessive College the place I had my secondary college training. I had my Nationwide Diploma at Yabatech, the place I studied Polymer Know-how, earlier than continuing to the College of Lagos, the place I studied Cell Biology and Genetics. In between, I wrote jamb for 5 consecutive years. I truly sponsored myself all through the interval of writing of Jamb and in addition my years in UNILAG.

What was rising up like for you?

I wasn’t born with a silver spoon. In truth, my siblings and I are proof {that a} single mom can efficiently elevate kids to be God-fearing, decided and profitable. My mum single-handedly raised 5 of us.

We hustled from dwelling with my grandma in her retailer, squatting with pals, to promoting garments by the highway facet the place KAI (Kick in opposition to Indiscipline) officers all the time got here to disturb us, pack our merchandise with out returning them fully even after paying enormous sum of money to get them again. We had quite a lot of challenges rising up. Nevertheless, all these helped form me into being a strong-willed and decided particular person.

I remembered a time when my elder brother and I have been despatched out of faculty for a full time period. We’d placed on our uniform, go away the home early within the morning and keep on the college gate whereas our mates have been in school. On the shut of faculty, we would depart for house as a result of our mother couldn’t afford our college charges.

How did you decide up the leatherwork craft?

I’ve been a shoemaker for over 18 years. My love for distinctive, high quality bespoke merchandise in addition to my never-dying motive to set an excellent tempo, altering the narrative of the lady youngster, and lots of extra impressed my going into shoe making.

I’ve been a shoe maker unofficially for 18 years now, and formally for six years.

Inform us about your model, Zeinny Crafts

We’re within the leather-based trend business. Our merchandise differ from sneakers, leather-based jackets, luggage, belts, wallets, bracelets, to leather-based trend merchandise. We set the pattern within the leather-based trend business for others to emulate.

What are the challenges you have got confronted since launching your model?

Each enterprise has its peculiar challenges and shoe making isn’t an exception. Among the challenges we face embrace: funding, there are such a lot of nice issues to attain as soon as we’ve entry to funding. You understand, we’ll be capable to get some required machines, gear and devices for shoe making and leather-based works which might in flip have an effect on the general output of our merchandise.

The price of manufacturing can also be a significant problem for us. The price of supplies retains going up every day and clients wish to get high quality merchandise at a really low cost price.

To be candid, Nigeria’s surroundings isn’t so encouraging to entrepreneurs typically and me as an individual, I don’t enable something, no matter how difficult it may be, to debar me from attaining my targets.

Do you have got another enterprise aside from shoemaking?

Other than shoe making, I’ve a media model and I handle them so effectively, God serving to me.

How does the fixed fall of the naira have an effect on what you are promoting?

It has a unfavourable impact on our enterprise as a result of the costs of supplies maintain skyrocketing and you understand, we are able to’t simply carry on rising costs of merchandise the way in which the price of manufacturing retains rising.

Will you say your model has advanced within the final 6 years?

I’m not the place I was and I’m not the place I’m going but. Nevertheless, I’m on the correct highway map to reaching the worldwide dream of taking Zeinny Crafts to the extent of Gucci. We’re going to be related to the perfect and we’re going to stand out.

Within the subsequent 5 years, what targets have you ever set to attain by your model?

Within the subsequent 5 years by God’s grace, we’re going to have a worldwide illustration throughout Nigeria in at the least 30 states, sturdy illustration in international locations throughout Africa and in addition in main western international locations (nothing lower than 10) by God’s grace.

What phrase of recommendation do you have got for different feminine shoemakers coming behind?

A phrase of recommendation I’ll like to drop is: comply with your goals! Even when nobody believes in it, bear in mind it’s your dream and never theirs.

Once I needed to be taught shoe making, nobody was in assist, not even my dad and mom. However now, everyone seems to be proud to be related to the ‘primary woman shoe maker in Africa’, Zeinny the celeb shoe maker.