In an exclusive with Heraldngr.com, Adenike ijanusi, an award winning Nigerian entrepreneur who base in Cyprus reveals to us what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur, her fears, motivations and what she looks forward to in the future.
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Read excerpts from our interview with her below:
What is your name?
My name is Adenike ijanusi, I’m a master student in Cyprus international university, studying media and communication.
You won Cyprus Savage 2018 entrepreneur award, What service(s) or product(s) do you offer/manufacture?
Well, I am baker, I make cakes and I am so excited to win the award.
How did the idea for your business come about?
I got this idea when I was still in Nigeria, when I finished my bachelor degree I was at home doing nothing and my mum was like, what do you really want to do, you have to do something, I need to have a hand work and baking is something I really had passion for but I really don’t know how to do it. So I told my mum and she enrolled me into a baking school, from there I learned how to bake and since then I have been good at it.
How did you come up with the name ‘SWEET CAKES BY NIKKY’ for your business?
Coming up with the name was kind of difficult because I just wanted to something very different from other people. I want it to be about me, I want people to hear the name and be like okay I know that person, I don’t want to use a name that will make people to be asking who is that, so I am like let the cakes be all me and lets just call it SWEET CAKES BY NIKKY and that is how we came about with the name.
How do you advertise your business?
I use social media in advertising my business, mostly Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp, that is where I advertise my Business, like my friends and followers wake up everyday to my messages and status asking them to order for their yummy cakes and that is where I get most of my clients from.
What is unique about your business?
The uniqueness about my business is that it is made from my efforts, I put efforts in everything I do and I always make the best out of it, it’s always unique, special and different.
Have you ever turned down a client?
Errrrm… Yes I have. I have turned down a client before but why I did that was because I wasn’t in town and the person needed me to do cake for her and I know that the person is troublesome so I just ‘pushed’ her to another baker in town to do the cake and the baker was like, Nikky why did you bring this customer to me and I am like, don’t worry handle her, that was the only customer I turned down in Cyprus.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Oh my gush… My favourite aspect of been an entrepreneur is seeing people happy, like the joy they get after I have rendered my service to them, the expression alone is satisfying, it means a lot to me more than the money I am getting from them.
What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
My greatest fear is failure and I always have it in mind that I am going to conquer anything that comes my way because I am a fighter, so I don’t see it as anything that is going to weigh me down. Competition is going to come but the brand Sweet Cakes by Nikky is going to be there and it will keep improving.
How has being an entrepreneur affected your life?
I will say positively, I have made good friends and clients.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Oh my gush… The most satisfying moment in my business is when I did a cake for a lady I met on Snapchat, she sent me a message a day before she needed the cake and she was like, Nikky I really need you to do this cake for me and this cake she is telling me is something that needs creativity and she was asking me continuously if I can do it even when I showed her pictures of cakes that I have done, like she wasn’t sure if I can do it and when I did it for her she was super happy and that brought a lot of joy to my heart.
What should we expect in the nearest future?
Expect a lot from Sweet Cakes by Nikky, starting my own bakery, flour business and expanding internationally are my targets.
If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
One thing is that stay dedicated to yourself, pick what you are very good at doing, don’t do multiple things at a time and work on that. We learn everyday, improving whatever you do, not that you know how to do this thing and you just stick to it, no, new technics comes up everyday, so, improve and learn everyday it makes you perfect.
What do you have to say to your customers, the people that voted for You and the organizers?
I want to say big thanks to all my amazing customers and friends, you guys are wonderful and the organizers you guys are wonderful too for been truthful and transparent with the voting and everything, creating this platform means a lot to we entrepreneurs, it encourages us to work harder, thank you so much.
Follow Adenike ijanusi on social media:
Instagram @adenikeijanusi
Instagram @sweetcakesbynikky
Snapchat @bossqueenike
Facebook @Adenikeijanusi
Email us at info.heraldnigeria@gmail.com to book your interview.