Making Waves in the Beauty Industry ~ Lola Davies of Evolve Makeup

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Hello everyone, welcome to the second post in our series, The Woman Entrepreneur. Every week till the month of October, Naijahousewives.com will be featuring a woman entrepreneur. There are two criteria for this; you must be a woman and you must either be Nigerian or based in Nigeria. Last week we featured Rashidat, a woman who began an importing business with just 15,000 Naira (a little less than $100USD) ~ read her story here.

This week we are featuring Lola Davies, a woman who has built up a business in the beauty industry. She combines her role as a Mom with being an entrepreneur (or a Mompreneur as she prefers to be called) and now has a thriving business in which she seeks to help and empower women. She shares her story with us.

 

 Could you tell us about you; your family, educational background and anything else you would like us to know?

 

My name is Omolola Davies, I am a makeup Artist and I am married with an adorable son. I am a graduate of computer science from Lagos State Polytechnic. I love writing, reading different books and I love using computer technology to achieve my objectives. I also have passion for fashion.

 

 Tell us about your business

 

Evolve Makeup was founded December 2009, with a strong vision of helping women of color to enhance their looks through makeup artistry. It also serves as an avenue to empower young people who are interested in the art of make up and are passionate about it. We are into all forms of makeup artistry, from Bridal Makeup to Special effects makeup and Makeup training.

Did you always know you would be an entrepreneur? What was the deciding factor for you?

 

Yes, I always knew I will end up as an entrepreneur as I have a lot of passion in me. Rather than build someone else’s dream, I believed I could channel the energy into something more productive for myself despite the risks. The deciding factor was my decision to translate my passion into a source of livelihood.

 

Why Make-up?

 

Makeup artistry has always been something I love doing; an art I can relate to. Working with different colors and seeing their beauty come out on the canvass I call face, has always been intriguing. It’s seeing beauty wherever you touch.

 

Doing business in Nigeria is not easy; how has it been like for you?

 

Doing business in Nigeria especially in a saturated business like this has not been easy. Our strategy is to always exploit cost-saving but effective means of going about our business.

 

How and where did you meet your husband?

 

I met my husband in 2009, through my cousin who was a colleague of his. I was then in Ilorin while he was in Lagos. We spoke for a while via phone and then we finally met in person upon my return to Lagos. Like they say everything else was history. We got married in 2010.

How supportive has he been of your entrepreneurial activities?

 

 

My husband has always been the one to encourage, advise and mentor me. Sincerely speaking I don’t think I can talk about my business without his love coming to my mind! He’s always a shoulder I can lay my problems on. He is ready to listen, chastise me if need be and ready to join hands with me to find a solution. Anytime I want to derail he directs me back on track.

 

 How do you keep a healthy balance between family and work?

 

It’s not really easy but I try as much as possible to separate my family life from my business. I keep my family life private and make sure I include myself in my family activities. Being a mompreneur makes me more flexible than I can ever imagine.

 Who is your ideal client and what services do you offer?

 

My ideal clients are brides and occasions attendees. We offer a wide range of Makeup occasions and also contemporary artistic makeups e.g face painting, body arts, creative makeup etc.

 

 On your website it says that you have a training school; how does one get into your training school and what would a prospective student hope to learn?

 

To get into our training school you have to be 18 years or older and you must have at least finished secondary school or its equivalent as the training requires a certain level of communication skills. What to learn depends on what a student wants as we have different courses, from basic to advanced professional.

 

 Go through a typical day for Lola

 

 My day starts with a prayer to almighty God, and then I take care of my family by helping my son and husband get ready for their day too. I then proceed to face and sort my business in time.

We hold training classes between 11 AM and 2 PM. I also coordinate other activities in the studio e.g sales and client makeovers.

I then help with my son’s homework when he returns from school. We play and prepare for my husband’s return together. My day typically ends by putting my son to sleep before going to bed.

 What advice do you have for a woman in another part of the country who wants to start a makeup business like yours?

 

To anyone who wants to start a makeup business the key is diligence and focus. They should not be in a hurry as this type of business takes time to grow, but with little supports here and there it will definitely grow in time. They should also make sure to keep with latest trends in the industry. Networking also goes a long way in aiding the business, communicate with other professionals and don’t hesitate to ask for advice, be open minded and take criticism in good faith.

 Do you have any word for us at Naija Housewives?

 

Please keep up the good work. Women need to know they can also be independent and they don’t need to wait to be fed. They can learn a trade and provide for their families.

 

To get in touch with Lola visit any of these links:

Facebook

Website

Evolve Make Up School