Toyosi Gregory Jonah is a Fashion Blogger and fabmumpreneur based in Lagos, Nigeria. As the CEO of a fashion brand Deesire1709 Fashion, this mum of two has done a great job of running her business and the home front near seamlessly. She lets us in on how she does it all.
Please tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a mum of two boys, fashion entrepreneur, fashion business coach , blogger and YouTuber.
Tell us about your foray into fashion entrepreneurship?
I have always been fashion inclined from my school days. I started out making and selling clothes to dressing people up for events and organising a school pageant. Today I now run a full fledged fashion brand called Desire1709fashion.
Have you always fancied being a fashion entrepreneur?
I have always been a fashion person so I knew I was going to end up doing something fashion related.
Have you ever worked a 9-5?
Yes I have .I used to work in the bank in Nigeria and in an accounting practice in England.
What thrills you the most about being a fashion entrepreneur?
Fashion is a fast paced environment; it’s almost like telecoms. One minute something is a rave and the next is almost forgotten. Also on a daily basis you are flooded with so many inspirations that get your blood running. This is because you can already imagine how this or that person will look in this cloth or how much of a statement an outfit will make. This is coupled with the joy on the client’s face when they love their outfits and how good they look!
I am sure you have so many business highpoints. Can you please share some of them?
The smile that good clothes put on a clients face is always a high point for me! And a major recent one is when we dressed Juliana Olayode for an event with a governor (quite short notice and she wasn’t sure about the outfit but I was sure she was gonna turn heads for the right reasons) and she came back with so many beautiful compliments and business for us!!!
What is a typical day like for you?
Almost crazy!!! Wake up, pray get the boys ready for school , run off to the gym, get ready for work, breakfast and work ,meetings in between (depending on my day) short break , back to work….till I literally fall asleep..
It takes a lot of grace, prioritizing and sacrifice!
Do you believe that work-life-balance is attainable as a mum?
Absolutely yes, if one is intentional about it although there will specific cases of emergency and disruption here and there but by and large it is possible.
What are some of the challenges peculiar to your industry?
It is super fast paced, too many imitation and creative copycats!
How do you stay ahead of competition?
Continuous development, so before they catch up with current events and happenings, we are already unto the next!!!
What are your fashion preferences?
I am a classic with an edge kinda lady! So you could find me in a T-shirt and jeans but I always bring edge either with accessories (shoe/bag) or jewelry!!!
Most mums tend to lose themselves in motherhood and no longer care about their appearance. How can this be remedied?
By being intentional about looking your best and also understanding that you are model for the kids and you are addressed the way you are dressed.
I always say only a happy woman can make a good mum and wife, so it’s important we as women look after ourselves! You can’t give what you don’t have -self love. So even when you loose yourself into motherhood do not drain or strip your self of all your confidence by forgetting you are also a human being and you are as important as your kids and your family.
What major advice do you have for mums looking to go into your line of business?
Get training about the business side of fashion, not just the Instagram or social media side of things because trust me, it’s majorly what you need to succeed!! Be open minded, things change a lot and quick too on this terrain so it’s important you are not a rigid person.
I always say only a happy woman can make a good mum and wife, so it’s important we as women look after ourselves! You can’t give what you don’t have -self love. So even when you loose yourself into motherhood do not drain or strip your self of all your confidence by forgetting you are also a human being and you are as important as your kids and your family.
If, you could begin your business all over again, what changes would you make or not make?
Never sell credit like I did when I first started that almost ruined my business!!
