Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur: Mabel’s Journey from Market Stalls to Limestone’s Sales Queen
The Early Years: A Natural-Born Saleswoman Let’s rewind a bit. So, imagine a young girl, barely out of primary school, bargaining with customers at her mom’s foodstuff stall in one of the busiest markets in Warri. Yep, that was me, Mabel! Even back then, I was talkative and had a knack for selling anything [I once convinced a woman to buy three bags of rice when she only needed one! Lol]. Growing Up Entrepreneurial My mom, a true businesswoman, was my inspiration. I’d watch her interact with customers, always learning, always observing. When business got tough, I’d chip in with my “brilliant” ideas [hey, I was a kid!]. Mom probably thought I was just being talkative as usual, but I think she saw a spark in me. Even she won’t deny that. But you see, my dad [God rest his soul] wasn’t exactly thrilled with me going in the direction of sales. He wanted me to be a doctor. Thing is, I couldn’t help it. The thrill of the sale, the satisfaction of connecting with people, the sheer joy of making a deal – it was in my blood. I’d always sneak some of my mom’s goods and set up my own mini market in the neighborhood. People actually bought stuff! I even had my own little sales pitch that I used for every customer that came around, and guess what? It actually worked! Fast forward to today, and I’m still at it, but now I’m selling something even more exciting – don’t worry, we’ll get to that. Keep reading… Building My Own Empire: Makeup, Meals, and More Before even stepping foot in a university lecture hall, I’d launched my own makeup studio. Now, here’s the tricky part: my parents hated the idea of me wearing makeup. So, imagine me, a fresh-faced teenager, teaching other women how to contour and highlight. It was a challenge, but it really did fuel my creativity. I had to sell them on my skills, not my appearance. And boy, did it work! [I even had one lady pay a whopping 60k Naira just to learn from me!]. This experience taught me a valuable lesson: you don’t need to be the product to sell it. You need passion, confidence, and a dash of creativity. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good underdog story? You don’t need to be the product to sell it. Oh well, my business was booming, so much so that I seriously considered skipping university altogether. After all, who needs a degree when you’re already a business mogul right? Wrong! My parents weren’t having it. So, off to university I went. Life at Uni: Where the Hustle Never Stops Despite my entrepreneurial ventures, I did eventually make it to university. My dad’s dream of me becoming a doctor didn’t quite pan out [sorry, Dad! I had a phobia of blood], but I did get into the Health Education department. People always told me I had a way with words, and I figured I could use my communication skills to promote healthy living. University life, however, had its own set of adventures. Living off-campus, I discovered a hidden talent for cooking. My friends would practically line up outside my door whenever they smelled something delicious. It didn’t take long for me to realize I had another business opportunity on my hands. Soon, I was running a mini food empire from my dorm room, catering to hungry students. I even had a team of student employees helping me out! [Looking back, I’m not sure how I balanced it all with my studies… but hey, that’s the beauty of passion, right?] But I wasn’t done yet. Decorations, fashion, you name it – if there was a way to make a Naira, I was all over it. Post Degree… What’s Next? After graduation, my journey took an unexpected turn. A delayed NYSC posting meant I had some extra time on my hands so I continued honing my sales skills. I sold everything from thrift clothes to foodstuff. I even rejoined my mom at her stall to help with her business. People would literally seek me out, asking my mom, “Where’s that daughter of yours? That girl has sweet mouth o!” Eventually, I landed a formal sales role at a clothing line, where I consistently outsold everyone else. [My boss was both impressed and slightly terrified, I think.] I even had a brief but exciting stint with the Nivea sales team. They wanted to hire me full-time, but alas, NYSC was calling! Health Education… and a Change of Scenery Now, you might be wondering, where does health education fit into all of this? Well, as I’d mentioned earlier, my dad always wanted me to be a doctor. Even with my phobia of blood, I tried. But oh well, medicine wasn’t in the cards for me, which was why I pivoted to Health Education in the university. The one-year national youth service rolled by pretty quickly and I landed a job as a health educator at the General Hospital, Ekpan, Delta State. It was an amazing experience. I loved connecting with patients, educating them about their health, and seeing the positive impact I could make. But life dealt with me in a not so good way, and I needed a change of environment. Lucky for me, I connected with an old friend that lived in Lagos, we had a wholesome conversation, and before you know, I was in Lagos, and from one network to another, I found my way to Limestone. Pretty awesome, isn’t it? The Limestone Chapter Starting as a sales intern, it was a bit of a culture shock at first – The tech world was so new to me. The structured, fast-paced environment was a far cry from the hospital corridors. But I embraced every challenge, soaking up knowledge like a sponge, peppering my colleagues with questions. I was determined to learn, grow and prove my worth. Today, I’m proud to be Limestone’s