My business is about making fashion statements —Amearypearl

Shyllon Adeola Opeyemi, popularly known as AmearyPearl because of her business, is a young and creative woman who has forged a part in the business of fashion. She speaks with YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE on her business and how she was able to make a difference. Excerpts:

What do you do?

I am what you will call a business woman; I sell fashion accessories. I am the founder of House of Amearypearl, an outfit known for fashion accessories and our clientele cuts across diverse economic backgrounds and age brackets. My business is about making a fashion statement; so when you need fashion accessories of all kinds – 18 carat Italian gold, eye wears of all kinds, wigs and every form of fashion accessory, we are a one stop outlet.

You didn’t study anything fashion?

No, I am a Computer Engineer. I studied Computer Engineering at the Olabisi Onabanjo University.

So what spurred you into this line of business?

Well, I could give you a lot of reasons but it won’t be the truth; the fact is that it just came naturally. Honestly, I love buying and selling things; I had always exhibited that trait from childhood. So, it just came naturally.

At what point did you decide to make it a full time job rather than use your certificate?

Like I said, buying and selling is like a part of me. So after my national Youth Service, like every graduate, I started scouting for white collar jobs but none was forthcoming. I actually passionately searched for paid employment without success, so I naturally fell back on my passion. The truth is if I had gotten a white collar job then, I will still be doing my buying and selling. It is a part of me. It is a case of finding a niche in what I enjoy doing.

Any regrets?

None, I have no regrets at all. It is just like this is what I was meant to do.

How did you get the required skills?

Well, I learnt as I moved on. I dint have to go through formal training but you know that education goes a long way. I strive to improve daily. But whatever skills I have today, I learnt on my own.

What stands House of Amearypearl out?

Simply put, it is honesty, diligence and above all, hard work; this entails a lot of sleepless nights. House of Amearypearl is more of an online store, we conduct most of our business online, s, taking pictures of products to put online, attending to various customers with different needs, arranging orders to ensure they get to customers especially since we deliver all over Nigeria without mixing stuff up, all translate to hard work and I do not have a closing time. I place premium on customer satisfaction, so it is really hard work but it pays off. The major attribute that has also helped us and stands out our outfit is consistency.

Your services seem to go beyond fashion, what else do you do?

I am also a personal shopper. That is another part of the service we offer. I get orders of things we do not sell and get it for particular clients based on specifications. The way it works is if you need something and cannot get it by yourself, I get it for you based on your interests and like.

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 Can you tell us how the journey has been so far?

The journey has been full of ups and downs; it has been fun, there had been challenges. The fun is in the fact that I am doing what I like and I get to be creative about it and bring in innovations but there are also challenges but with God, prayers and hard work, I have always been able to overcome the challenges.

What are the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

Well,  running an online business needs a lot of conviction with the customers; convincing them about your genuineness and satisfying clients who find it difficult to understand the peculiarity of online transactions especially frustrating internet services but I think these applies to both sex not just a female entrepreneur.

How affordable is your store?

I will say that we are affordable, our stock is affordable and friendly; every individual no matter your bank statement will get something beautiful from us. Whatever you have, you can get something at our store and it will be beautiful because beauty is what we are about. We cater for all classes of people irrespective of their finances; we have items as low as five hundred naira

Your business requires that you delve into a little showbiz, how do you balance this with business?

Show biz definitely goes hand in hand with my business, seeing what you wear and wearing it just right get a lot of customer’s attention and attracts them to patronize you. That means you must appear fashionable and be well put together at all times because you are a walking advertisement for your business

What are the principles that guide you and your business?

Integrity, honesty, discipline and hard work are my basic principles. Then, I have learnt to decide how I want my business to go and stay with my plan. I do not use others as a benchmark for how my business grows.

How easy is it to be a wife, mother and business owner?

It’s not easy really; I won’t even lie. Balancing work and family is a serious business but thanks to God for giving me a very understanding and caring husband, I have been able to cope just well. And I have learnt never to compromise my family for business; rather, I have found ways of creating time for my business in a way that will not affect my family. It is family first and God has been helping me though it entails a lot of sleepless nights.

What is your vision for the business?

To build a huge empire that would be a household name in Nigeria and will be recognized worldwide; a business that will stand the test of time and be a successful brand that would be a one stop store for family.

With so many in the same line of business, how do you retain your clients?

I’m a very honest person and I ensure transparency in all my dealings, this applies also to my business. Also, I deliver at the specified time and ensure customer’s satisfaction is guaranteed, I leave zero room for errors. That is the edge I have.