Meet Mustapha Aishat, a nurse, fashion mogul, and a total boss babe. Hear her story on how she turned her passion for creativity into a successful business, Mairachamp. A brand that specializes in unique and stylish beaded bags. Hear her story on how she found her niche in the fashion industry, the challenges she faces in running her business in Nigeria, and how collaborations with companies like ours have helped to improve and grow her brand.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do
My name is Mustapha Aishat I’m from Ogun state, Ijebu ode. I am 23 years old and I graduated from Afe Babalola University as the Best graduating student in the Department of Nursing (2020) with a first-class honors degree. So yeah, I’m a Nurse. I am also the founder and creative director of Mairachamp Nigeria, a lifestyle brand that deals with the production of beaded bags.
What inspired you to start Mairachamp?
I wanted to create something different and unique, I also wanted something that would make anyone stand out when they carried the bags. I didn’t want the regular bags that everyone has.
Can you tell us about your target audience and the products or services you offer?
We sell beaded bags made with silk and satin. We recently opened a sub-business that sells necklaces, but Mairachamp is popularly known for its beaded bags
Our target audience is mainly women between the ages of 18 – 50. There are women above 50 that use our products too. Our customers are versatile individuals willing to pay the price for quality products. Men are not left out; we have products men can wear and rock depending on the level of their fashion sense.
What are the biggest challenges you face in running Mairachamp?
The biggest challenge I face is not having a law in Nigeria that protects businesses. We could make a bag today, but before you know it, other competitors will copy the design and sell it at a cheaper rate. It is easy for them to sell at any price because they didn’t come up with the design; they just copied it. It’s really discouraging. The other sad thing about it is that theirs can go viral before ours. If that happens, they’re taking credit for an idea that’s not theirs.
The fashion business is pretty wide, how did you choose your niche and become successful at it?
Yeah, the fashion industry is wide. In fact, I started this business making RTW dresses and scarves, but I wasn’t satisfied. I wanted to receive more positive feedback from customers. Now that I have switched to beaded bags, I can make a thousand of them and no one will have an issue with them. It has been over two years since I started making these bags, and I can count the number of people that have had complaints.
How did you first hear about our company, and what made you decide to use our products or services?
I heard about Zilla when someone from the company reached out to me, and I also came across it on Instagram. I decided to use Zilla because it makes it easy for people to buy our products. Some people need bags, and for whatever reason, they may not be able to afford them at the moment of their need.
How easy is it to promote your business to reach new customers?
It’s quite easy, thanks to Instagram, all you have to do is post a reel and it goes viral. Running ads too helps. I don’t necessarily have to pay influencers, because in Nigeria, right now, so many influencers have the same audience. I like targeting international clients and using them to increase the reach of my brand. They reach out to us for the product and tag us.
How have our products or services helped you to improve your business?
When the clients realize that we’re collaborating with another company to make purchasing easier for them, they realize that you have their interest at heart. This is why I love Zilla.
Can you share any success stories or milestones you have achieved as a business?
Celebrities supporting the brand! In the first year of the business, I sold over 2,000 bags. The business is just two years old, and I have a store in Ogun state already, I have my product in so many stores in Lagos. I also consider our collaboration with Zilla a success. Celebrities wearing the brand, and popular stylists hit me up.
If you could choose any celebrity to be the face of your business, who would it be and why?
Rihanna, Beyonce, or Kylie (laughs) because they have a very large audience and people love them. If I were to pick a Nigerian celebrity, I’ll choose Tiwa Savage. I know you asked for one, but it’s so difficult to pick.
If you could have any superpower to help you run your business, what would it be and why?
Hmm Super power, nothing is coming to mind. Maybe the ability to read people’s minds to know what they actually think about the brand and learn how we can improve.
What would success look like for Mairachamp right now?
Success will be selling 1000 bags monthly and getting a walk-in store in Lagos. A fashion brand reached out to me some time ago, and I would love to collaborate with them.
What do you like most about working with our company?
One thing I like about Zilla is that there’s no problem brought to you guys that you don’t try to solve immediately. You also constantly check up on your merchants. It’s nice for a brand to have really great customer service and relationships with the people they work with.
Aishat’s story is one of passion, determination, and creativity. Her drive to create unique and stylish beaded bags has propelled her business to great heights in just a few short years. Despite the challenges of running a business in Nigeria, she has remained steadfast in her pursuit of success. With her sights set on continued growth and success, Aishat and Mairachamp Nigeria are poised to become major player in the fashion industry both in Nigeria and beyond.
In case you missed it, here’s our chat with ALMAbyAlma and what it’s like to not only focus on creating stylish and comfortable outfits, but also giving back to the community by feeding a child on the street with every outfit sold.
If you have any questions, please let us know. You can reach us on 08147198097 or email us at support@zilla.africa (9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday).
