Herstory: Nigerian Women Founders is a 21 Magazine original series launched in March 2024 as a tribute to Women’s History Month. This captivating series delves into profound interviews with Nigerian women who have fearlessly founded brands and companies within the dynamic landscape of our economy. Through compelling narratives and insightful conversations, we illuminate the remarkable journeys, challenges overcome, and triumphant successes of these visionary leaders. Join us on a journey of inspiration, empowerment, and celebration as we showcase the resilience, innovation, and impact of Nigerian women in shaping our shared future.
For this edition of HerStory, 21 Magazine sits down with Oluwadamilola Ogheneme, Founder and Creative Director of Mollycoddle. A builder at heart and a firm believer in value-driven community, Damilola has carved a unique space in Nigeria’s beauty industry by reimagining self-care as an experience rather than a transaction. From her corporate background in fintech to building a thriving beauty community in Lagos, her journey is one rooted in intention, resilience, and the power of people. In this conversation, she opens up about entrepreneurship, creativity, and what it truly takes to build a brand that people don’t just visit—but belong to.
To Kick Things Off, Can You Tell Us Who Oluwadamilola Ogheneme Is, Beyond The Title Of Founder And Creative Director Of Mollycoddle?
I’ll define myself as someone who likes to build, and someone who would always want to add value to anything that I find myself in. I’ve always had my nine-to-five where I worked within a corporate sector, but I was privileged enough to also have my own business where I built a team from the scratch. I think there’s this fulfillment that comes with seeing something that you built thrive. So yes, I see myself as a builder, I see myself as someone who is passionate about growth.
I always tell my friends and people around me that I’m grateful for the gift of people, right? I’m very rich in people. Every position or every height I’ve attained around my career is from leveraging the influence of people and building a community of people who believe in my dreams and are interested in creating value.
I’m also very value driven. In whatever relationship that I find myself: platonic or business relationships, there must be a value exchange. That’s something that has always been at the forefront for me.
How Did The Idea For MollyCoddle First Come To You?
It’s quite interesting because I’ve always been in a nine-to-five. I’d worked in customer service for a while and then I moved into the financial space. I worked in Fintech for at least six years of my life. But one thing that has been very peculiar in my journey is that even whilst I had my nine-to-five, I’d always had a business on the side. I used to sell clothes and shoes even from when I was in university.
The story of Mollycoddle started when I wanted to create something that reflects who I am. So the question that birthed Mollycoddle was: how can I build something that reflects what I stand for?
I’d been on the customer side where I’ve had to go to spas and salons, but there was always something missing: the community growth. I realized that service providers are very focused on exchange: customers come for the service, they pay, and they’re off. I wanted to build experiences. I wanted to build something that was beyond just ‘coming to get your nails done’. When people leave, what do they remember you for? When they are away for months, what do they think about? Is it just, “Oh, I just need to get my nails done” or ‘Oh, I had an amazing experience while I was within that studio?’ So that was what birthed the- the idea of Mollycoddle for me.
The word “Mollycoddle” means to pamper, to indulge. I wanted to build something that transcends beyond just a service business. In the last one year, we’ve been able to very quickly achieve certain milestones. For example, I would boldly say that we’re the first beauty business that would ever create experiences for people, for instance, like a sip and paint. So, you come to do your mani-pedi, you have a sip and paint session while you’re doing that. We’ve had wine tasting before while customers were getting their mani-pedis done. We’ve had collaborations with beauty businesses where they have their products displayed at the studio and people come to shop while being beautified. This is the dream for Mollycoddle. I want to build a community of people who care about self-care.
Just Looking At Mollycoddle’s Social Media It Truly Is Clear That It Is A Community Brand That Cares For Customers. How Do You Balance That Level Of Creativity And Initiative Alongside The Daily Task Of Running A Business?
The truth of the matter is you can never balance it. I always say that work-life balance is a mirage because it’s never really balanced; there’s always something that is given.
One thing I’ve learned in the last two years is that as a business owner, you very quickly need to have the ability to wear multiple hats at a time. Running a business in Lagos is not for the faint-hearted. It was very frustrating for me at the time because I couldn’t focus on creativity or high-level initiatives. I had to take steps back and realize that for the head to function, it takes the other body parts. I decided to build in little structures that can help manage the day-to-day operations. I meticulously plan my calender. I also make sure that when I’m hiring staff, I hire the right talent. The right people for me are people that tie into the dreams of the business and can take up initiatives on their own.
What Five Business Tips Can You Give To Female Entrepreneurs In Nigeria?
You need to ask yourself these 5 questions:
What value am I proposing? That’s one question you have to be clear on. What stands you out from every other person? Every business idea is being birthed by someone else somewhere; what stands you out?
Who is my target audience? Ask yourself, who are the people that I want to sell this product or service to, and how do I reach them?
What terrain am I operating on? You need to understand the business terrain. Who are your competitors? What leverage do you have over them?
Who are the people I’m hiring? This is currently difficult for me, but I’m going to keep hiring until I find the right fit, because the talent you hire can either mar or make your business. Look for people who have similar values.
What is the quality of my customer service? Personally, I would never compromise on quality. The quality of a product says a lot about you as a brand. Also, business owners, do not compromise on customer service. Some businesses lose sight of that as they expand, but the thing is, you can only build a community if you are able to offer great customer service. You can’t build loyal ambassadors of your brand if the product you’re offering is not great and the quality of your service is bad.
These are the tips I have learned over time as a business owner. But like I said, we keep learning every single day.
What Has Been Your Proudest Moment As The Founder Of MollyCoddle?
Seeing random strangers at random places who tell me, “Oh my God, I come to Mollycoddle to do my nails.” Those are the days I remember whenever I am having a bad day. If your friends are the only ones patronizing your business, then you can’t be so sure your business is a successful business. But the fact that random people patronize us and refer others—those are moments that I’m very proud of.
Another proud moment for me would have to be how well the brand has been able to build a certain level of customer base and how we’ve also been able to retain a certain pedigree of staff for the business regardless of the current economic situation.
If You Could Write A Letter To Your Younger Self At The Start Of Your Journey, What Would It Say?
I’d say, be patient with yourself. Trust the process. One other thing I’d say is: “What would life be on the other side of fear?”, I think everyone needs to explore that. You can never know until you try. It’s better to start and fail than not start at all. Always do it with excellence. Hard work, resilience and grit pays. These are the things I would say to my younger self.
Be Honest, What Is The One Beauty Trend You Secretly Don’t Love?
It would be chrome nails. I don’t like it! It hurts me! Especially that red color. Oh my God, that’s one thing you would never catch me doing. I can forgive a chrome French tip, but an all-painted chrome nails, it’s a no for me.
Beyond Manicures, Lashes And Trendy Beauty Treatments, What Does Beauty Mean To You Personally?
Beauty is what you call it. I can wake up today and all I want to do is maybe a facial, and because it feels good to me, that would be what I call beauty. I don’t have to wear makeup to feel beautiful. Beauty is what you call it as a person; it’s not what other people say it is.
What Does The Future Of Mollycoddle Look Like To You?
The dream for Mollycoddle is beyond me. The future is a world where we build a strong community of people. The future is a business that transcends beyond offering services to creating unique and innovative products for our customers. It’s a business that transcends from offering toxic products to building a brand that is attributed to cruelty-free and toxic-free products. It’s building a safe haven for women who want to feel natural and still look good.
Finally, What Misconceptions Do People Have About Running A Salon That You Wish They Understood Better?
I think this misconception is perpetuated by the male gender. When they hear “I run a salon,” they just think about the vanity things; just making people look good y’know? Yes, running a salon is about making people look good, but there’s also so much more to it. Running a salon also involves several challenges like customer management, economic problems, and managing blue collar staff that’s not familiar with structure. The beauty business is fast-paced sector where a trend you’ve invested in can, in a blink of an eye, suddenly no longer be relevant. So, what do you do? You have to start researching on the next trend to stay up to date . It’s a sector that is always on the go. The business of beauty is not easy money. It’s years and years of sweat, investment, and patience before you start getting your return.
