I turned my hobby into a viable business –Cassandra Olufolakemi Iyoha, Scents&FragrancesbyCassie founder

For Cassandra Olufolakemi Iyoha (Nee Davies) the main goal was to make constructive use of her time when her workplace folded up. She intended to try her hands on something that can fill a need and through which she could make money. Soon, her favourite pastime of purchasing perfumes turned into a small business that has metamorphosed into ventures. Cassie as she is fondly called by her customers spoke to The Nigerian Xpress recently:

 

What inspired you to start your business?

It all started during my compulsory break after my workplace, Visafone folded up and I was thinking of what to do with my life. Everyone always said I always smelled good and I was always sought after to help them purchase whatever fragrance I was wearing and I thought that was pretty interesting as everyone has this notion that I get the best perfumes or fragrances. Being admired for this made me start thinking of making more people smell good too.

Having degrees from the university, no job but starting a business making the world smell good! Well, that was something!

It was a two-day decision for me. Of course, I needed to know more about the business I wanted to delve into. I got all the necessary things from extensive market research. The list of what I had to do was endless. Putting a business together in this our clime is not easy at all. I got to know the best importers of perfumes including our indigenous ones. Yes, we have very good Made in Nigeria perfumes. I choose the best fragrances for my customers and have gotten great feedback. I enjoy what I do and to think that back then turning this hobby into a business was not even on my mind.

 

Tell us about your business

What started as a hobby soon turned into a social enterprise marketing personalized and customized perfumes for people. Scents&FragrancesbyCassie is on Instagram and Facebook and through the profits of this enterprise I have branched out to beddings and curtains. I want to add different elements to my business because that is what differentiates you from being a mere marketer to an entrepreneur. I hope one day my business grows from a mere business to a brand that will be widely recognized.

 

What were the first steps taken to get your business up and running?

I just kept smelling good and showing up – just to show off that I can make you smell better! And slowly people started ordering those perfumes from me as they liked them. And, of course, I wear inexpensive ones too just to encourage them that you do not need to break a bank to look good. I became intentional and more strategic about my use of social media. It became a business tool for me. I sell more on social media than I do in my store. Another step was using perfumes as a good gift-giving option for all my friends and family birthdays as that way I did not have to crack my head on ideas. It paid off because even the inexpensive ones became more sought after. At first, friends and family members that ordered perfumes spread the word around and others started requesting perfumes. I started customizing orders suited to individual needs and taking suggestions that people would want floral or fruity fragrances and what I thought was a time-killing hobby turned into a business opportunity.

 

How have you been raising awareness for your business to get new customers?

It was all word-of-mouth publicity as I did not have the budget for marketing but looking back and after going through some business challenges and striving as a start-up, I would not run the business the way I ran it at that time. I would invest in the digital media and retail channel. Getting new customers is all about being at the right place at the right time. This includes going to networking events, having strong a presence out there. I would position my business in the gift-giving segment – not just everyday personal care product line – because I gave the option of customization and thus increasing the personal touch element which increases the worth of any gift. Even attending fashion shows or fairs and giving away small samples with different packaging goes a long way in being present in the mind of the people you interact with and I would implement these elements and place a strong emphasis on them.

 

What are your biggest challenges so far?

I didn’t use social media or the usual distribution channels as I did not want to run a full-fledged business. It was all done by word of mouth. Of course, it was not all smooth. There were times when people did not want to buy it, especially when It comes to logistics. Getting customers was not easy. I had to balance the act of being calm yet forcefully pitching for sales to potential customers. That gave rise to the spirit of entrepreneurship in me. Now, I have branched out to beddings and curtains venture, events on my campus and signing up for various entrepreneurial competitions. In future, I would love to mentor young people on how to start their businesses.

 

How did you overcome the challenges?

Learning from my mistakes every day, practical experience combined with the theoretical background can help a great deal in forging ahead. This business opened my eyes to the limitless opportunities in this country if you just remain focused and work hard.

 

What do you love about running your own business?

I learnt a great deal in terms of budgeting, financing, procurements, customer servicing and distribution (marketing/sales). Doing everything singlehandedly honed my general managerial skills to a great extent. I learnt about finances and managing budgets, marketing, communications and managing resources. I feel now that if I wanted to start any business at all, I have the experience and confidence to do so. It was also a very exciting experience being your boss and making your own money. I never thought my hobby would turn into a viable business. I feel more equipped and confident to run my company someday.

 

What advice would you give to prospective entrepreneurs?

Take the risk. It is a lot of hard work and there are challenges along the way but the rewards are worth it. I always feel it is better to be the performer than to be in the audience. Also nowadays, it is easier for young people to start up their businesses because of social media. It is important to do internships with startups where you are given a lot of responsibilities and you Iearn a lot about how to grow a business.

 

How do you keep yourself motivated?

The fact that I am working on a good cause, making people smell better was the best motivating factor and kept me going.

 

Do you have a business philosophy?

My philosophy is to give the best to people. It is not about simply making money. It is about giving the people a good experience. Premium fragrances at premium prices. It’s all about creating memorable and unique experiences for people.

When you face a big challenge, what do you do?

I take it as a positive sign, knowing that I can overcome it.

 

What is your greatest fear?

Not being able to make life worthwhile in terms of not making a difference.

 

If you could go back in time to when you were 20, what would you tell yourself?

I will continue doing what I am doing and even more, as I have miles to go before I sleep.

 

What is your greatest belief?

I believe everyone should go out there, take risks, and do things that help others.

 

The biggest lesson you have ever learnt?

That life is too short to waste time and with each passing day, you are losing out on all the time that could have been used to make a difference.

 

What is your favourite business tool or resource?

Social media.