Walking a mile in confidence with PiolaFootprints!

"By their fruits you shall know them"....., in this case, it is By their "shoes", you shall know them!. The captivation started from the package and of course, the content- PiolaFootprints shoes are indeed an epitome of style and quality, just a look and you will have a wild imagination of walking in them. The best part of it is the fact that the shoes are made in Nigeria by Nigerians....... intriguing!

Piola Footprint brand is owned by a Lagos state indigene by name Mr Daramola Babalola and his beautiful fiancee  Miss Yemisi Olympio. Mr Babalola is a graduate of international relations which he obtained from Lagos State University with a master degree in public and international relations from University of Lagos.

We contacted them right away and we can confidently assure you that you will be inspired and by their story...

PiolaFootprints kicked off in 2016 with the aim of making affordable footwear specially handcrafted in Lagos state, Nigeria with world class quality materials in beautiful and colourful designs for the Nigerian and global market. With the sale of over 2000 shoes in the first 6 months after their launch, PiolaFootprints emerged as on of the fastest growing fashion/footwear brand in the country with several awards and nominations.

"We are deeply inspired by the burning desire to make quality Nigerian made footwear to be more acceptable in the country and across the World. We believe that the #madeinNigeria movement has come to stay".

The major challenges they face are the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in Nigeria- Power, incessant fuel scarcity, preference of  foreign products over Nigerian- made products (although this is fast changing), high rate of online scam/fraud which makes selling online a bit difficult and so on.
In the midst of all the challenges stated above, this powerful duo have made up their minds to look at the brighter side;

" An average Nigerian is a survivor. We strive to survive against all odds with the burning desire  and passion to continue preaching the #madeinNigeria message. So far, our number of clients and recognition has kept us going as we continue to soar higher and higher".

See pictures of their footwear below;

                 

The Powerful Duo

                                MAYA awards 2018

They are on every social media platform, you can search for them.....

@piolafootprints

Another amazing opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs with FATE foundation!

FATE foundation is a non- profit private-sector led organisation created in March 2000 to tackle the high rate of unemployment and poverty in Nigeria by harnessing the strong entrepreneurial culture of Nigerians and providing the knowledge and support required to fully explore their innovative potential;

"Our mission is to foster wealth creation by promoting business and entrepreneurial     development among Nigerians."

They provide entrepreneurial courses and programmes through their school of Entrepreneurship and also business support and ancillary services to their alumni. This is carried out through;

• Entrepreneurship Education;  Aspiring Entrepreneurs Program (AEP)/ Emerging Entrepreneurs Program (EEP)/ Special Entrepreneurs Program/ short courses/ Webinars.
•  Enterprise Support;  Mentoring/ Incubation & Placement/ Consulting / Funding linkages.
• Entrepreneurship Research & Policy; Policy dialogue series on Entrepreneurship/ policy workshops / research reports/ thought-leadership.

 Interestingly, they would be going round 8 cities within Nigeria; Abuja, Enugu, Lagos I & II, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Ibadan and Calabar. If you would like to be a part of this and gain some digital insights to help grow your business, this is an opportunity for you- simply click on the link below to enrol for their 4-weeks programme to help you build a digitally enabled business;

      
       linktr.ee/fatefoundation

For Abuja interested participants, the date and venue are written below;

Date:  March 12- April 6, 2018

Venue: NAF Conference Centre and Suites.

            Plot 496 Ahmadu Bello way, 

            (near Next Cash and Carry) Kado, Abuja.

For more information, kindly visit;

www.fatefoundation.org/aep

 Goodluck.

The Brands And Brains Team.

Dexterity and Delivery with the man called Udoka Oyeka!

He is an actor, a director and producer....You can also rightly say he is a man of many characters judging from his numerous roles in blockbuster movies and in hit TV series "Tinsel" where he played the role "Tsav". Udoka Oyeka is indeed a full package- He has the looks that keep the ladies in check and expertise in movie- making that has earned him recognition not only in Nollywood but ALL OVER THE WORLD.

He was born in Dallas, Texas to Mr Solomon Oyeka and Mrs Florence Oyeka. He is the last child of his family and hails from Anambra state. At age 2, his family moved back to Lagos, Nigeria- his father who is a chemical engineer ran his own company and his mum worked with the National port as a civil servant. After his secondary school education, he moved back to Dallas to attend University of Texas, Arlington. He started acting when he took a theatre elective in college;

"I was trying to make up for my hours and had always been attracted to the arts department. After graduating,  I went to a drama school in Dallas and studied acting for the screen for 2 years. I made some short movies with some friends in Canada but eventually moved back to Nigeria to start directing and producing my own films".I get my inspiration from old films, a lot of foreign independent films as well as my interaction with people I meet everyday- everyone has a story that is unique to them. Music also has a lot of influence on me as well."

In 2011, he released his first movie titled " ZR-7 ( the Red-House 7) " in cinemas nationwide. ZR-7 was nominated for BEST CHILD ACT at the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) that same year. Furthermore, his movie LIVING FUNERAL and NO GOOD TURN took him to the apex of the food chain as they were both screened in a bunch of International film festivals including Cannes film festival in France, Durban International film festival in South Africa, Pan African film festival in Los Angeles,  European Independent film festival and so much more. Interestingly, his new movie LAS GIDI VICE is at the international film festival Rotterdam, 2018.

The multi-talented Udoka Oyeka has gotten 12 African Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) nominations in all; his movie "living funeral" was nominated for Best short film, Best Director,  Best movie (drama), Best cinematography, Best screenplay amongst others. It was also nominated for Best short film in both AMAA(2014) and Best Of Nollywood awards (BON) in 2014 as well as a nomination for Best Nigerian film in Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) awards in 2014. 

 However, in the midst of all his achievements so far, he admits to the fact that he has faced a lot of challenges; 

"The journey has not been easy, there is always an obstacle holding you back from attaining your goals but the trick is to keep pushing and knocking until something happens. My passion has given me strength to push through and achieve the little I have done. There's so much more to do and so much stories to tell from Africa."

  Mr Udoka Oyeka is also a lover of soccer, basketball and of course, music from all over!

Below are photos of him and his works.... ENJOY!

   With Munachi Abii, Moet Abebe and KC Ejelonu during a shoot.

DJ_Burna .....Soft hands on the wheels of steel!

Passion and determination is all it takes to achieve success - for this young lady, Passion is KEY. Judging from the first time I heard her spin the wheels to my first conversation with her, I could feel the drive for perfection and success...... Promise Emmanuel is her name but we call her DJ Burna!

DJ Burna is an Abuja-based female DJ who is by far one of the finest and most sought-after DJs in the city. She has been featured on shows like Jimmy Jump-off, AY Live, the Legendary Tuface Idibia's concerts and lots more. She also played for Nigeria's First Lady Mrs Aisha Buhari in a party and I have to emphasise on the fact that the first lady was thrilled by her performance....

She hails from Abia state which is located in the Eastern part of Nigeria and is the fourth child out of a family of 5. She obtained a degree in English and Literature from the prestigious University of Abuja but her love for music pushed her into becoming what she is celebrated for today. They say good traits can be transferred from parents to their children....  I agree!... DJ Burna comes from a family of music and turntable lovers as her father use to be a DJ and her brother is also a DJ known as DJ YoungGee. Her brother played a huge part in her success as he tutored her, paved a way by making her walk into limelight easily. Her other mentors include DJ Puffy, DJ LadyStyle and Martin Garrix. Outside the disc jockey life, she loves to travel, listen to music and entertain people.

In all honesty and humility, DJ Burna admits to the fact that she faces a lot of challenges being a female in a male dominated industry......

"Most times, my talent is underestimated by fellow DJs, clients, gig organisers and club owners which puts me on the edge to give them my best and to God be the glory I always deliver. Some male DJs even go as far as insisting I play first before them so they can play at the peak of an event just because they feel they are more superior. Also, being a successful lady in the industry, there is a lot of envy but I thank God for my mum and sisters who support me financially and of course, spiritually!"

Furthermore, she has a mixtape she did last year, you can click on the link below to DOWNLOAD;
www.audiomack.com/song/dj-burna/cupid-ii

Just so you know, she is a disc jockey at the Switch Nightclub Abuja so you can link up with her vibes live and direct on Friday and Saturday nights by 10:00 GMT.

You can follow her on Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram - @DJ_Burna.

Catch a glimpse of the finest female DJ in the capital city below;

 She burns SWITCH!

An amazing opportunity for prospective Entrepreneurs!

Do you have a business idea you want to bring to life? A dream you want to see manifest into a reality? Here is a great opportunity for you;

The Tony Elumelu Foundation is an African non-profit organization founded in 2010 by Nigerian business man Tony Elumelu and positioned as a 21st century catalytic philanthropy. As a driver of the  AFRICAPTALISM, the foundation aims to promote excellence in business leadership and of course, entrepreneurship across Africa. One of its driving aspirations is the improvement of the competitiveness of African economies.

Also, the Tony Elumelu Foundation was founded solely to support entrepreneurship in Africa- interestingly, I know a lot of people who have been able to build/expand their businesses with the help of this foundation.
Click on the link below to apply;

bit.ly/TEF2018Application

For more information, visit;

www.tonyelumelufoundation.org

You can choose to dream big because dreams are free, just so you know- you are one click away from living your dreams..... best of luck.

The Brands and Brains Team.

press PLAY as Shop & Play takes over!

Years ago, it was just a night club where all the cool kids of Abuja party, today, we can rightly say that the PLAY brand has now metamorphosed into a conglomerate- they have a fashion line, a whiskey bar called Thomas & Ray and they also run a multidisciplinary network of young professionals and entrepreneurs  called the Play Network which deals in business and lifestyle networking.

However, our focus for now is on their fashion line called "Play Apparels". The uniqueness of their style and the quality is the best part of the entire brand. We were opportune to be at the "fashion night out" event hosted by them and it was mind blowing as other young fashion entrepreneurs had their designs displayed. The best part of shopping at SHOP & PLAY is the fact that you do not just get to buy only play apparels but designs from other renowned fashion brands as well.

For more information about play apparels, do visit;

www.shopandplay.com

We were privileged take some pictures, we hope you get captivated by them.

SHOP & PLAY!!!

 Belios couture- check out her signature top 

 Style by YOUDII

 Orange Couture

 yuteeRone

                           Display by GEMS FOR LISA

 EJIRO AMOS TAFIRI

 Precifux

 shoes by shop & play

 DZYN

 TIVA BESPOKE

Victoria Kalulani

 Photohubb 

 Play apparels

 Vivian's Icon

 Gems for Lisa

If you are a newbie and you are looking for where to shop for some of the best brands, visit SHOP & PLAY!

WE ARE BACK!

It is indeed a pleasure to inform you all that WE ARE BACK!!!!..... this time, even bigger and better.


First of all, we have changed the blog name to BRANDS 'N' BRAINS. Secondly, a lot of things has been added to the table this time- It is not just going to be regular interviews with different young entrepreneurs and talented people but......... in fact, we would like to take the World by surprise.

So sit back and relax as we are about to blow your minds.

Women Entrepreneurs... This is an opportunity for you!

Do you know the World bank actually offers scholarships for women in business? If you do, that's good enough but if you don't, here is an opportunity for you. If you want to be part of this program, click on the link below
http://onlineregportal.com/Womenx/Home#instruction

Please click on the link below to fill application form.
http://nigeria.smetoolkit.org
For more information, kindly visit:

www.edc.edu.ng

Kindly follow the instructions on each link careful so that you can be shortlisted to be part of this great opportunity

HiVoltage Magazine............... the next big thing!

   It is a blessing to see young people who make up their minds to go out of their way and do something out of the ordinary- for Mudiaga and Mohammed; it was all about their love for words, fashion, events and celebrity lifestyles which triggered the collaboration that led to the birth of a magazine called “HiVoltage” . HiVoltage is a new magazine owned by Mudiaga Emmanuel Awhinawhi and Mohammed Ahmed Bello- it showcases the best of Nigerian fashion, lifestyles and events, write-ups, advertisements and all what not. Join me as I take you through my time with them and I promise you, you will be inspired after it all…..

·        Please introduce yourselves……

My name is Bello Mohammed and my friend is Mudiaga Awhinawhi. We are our early 20’s and we are the owners of HiVoltage magazine.

·        We wanna get to know you……….

Mohammed;

Ok. I was born in Calabar, Cross River state though I am originally from Kwara state (Fulani Kwara) and I am the first born in my family. I spent my early days in Kaduna before I went back to Kwara state where I attended Model Secondary School Ilorin. After my secondary education, I got admission into University of Abuja where I studied English and Literature.

Mudiaga;

I was born in Sokoto state but I originally hail from Delta state. I am the second child in my family. I attended a catholic nursery and primary school and Mother Redeemer Catholic Secondary School all in Delta state. After that, I got admission to study English and Literature in University of Abuja.

·        Tell us about HiVoltage magazine- What is it all about?

   Hivoltage magazine is all about fashion, lifestyles and events. The main aim is to showcase fashion styles in Nigeria; not only in Nigeria but different part of the world- we showcase different fashion trends, events that take place within Abuja like Abuja fashion week, the picnic by Delphino entertainment and other events. Also, we showcase different cultures and lifestyles of different celebrities within and outside Nigeria. It is also a magazine where young entrepreneurs can showcase and advertise what they do.
   How it all began............
  We both have mutual likeness for this- before he actually spoke out I had intentions of owning a magazine. What I had really wanted is a hit magazine and he is more into fashion than I am. Eventually when we spoke concerning it, we decided to marry our ideas into one and that was it.

·     What/who inspired you?

     Mohammed;

   My inspiration is a British-French magazine called “chic” magazine and Vogue magazine. My prayer is that our magazine goes beyond their standard.

   Mudiaga;

   My inspiration is George Okoro- his works inspire me a lot.

·   #tellthetruth-What are the challenges you face in your business?

  Finance- the money is not really there for us and no one is ready to be a part of a maiden magazine. Another challenge is people want to see a pilot before they put in their money and it is so discouraging.

·        #dropitlikeitshot- say something to inspire someone …

    Keep doing what you do best and never relent. Be hard working, keep your head up and love what you do and stay focused.

 

     Thank you guys for your time, God bless you.

see some of the pics in the maiden edition below;

Mudiaga and a model.