I’m Uche Akeeb, founder of Uchexclusive, Co-founder of Moon and Clouds and author of “The Impact of excellent Customer Service on Business Growth”, which was awarded the 1st runner-up position for self-published business books in 2018 by the Independent Author Network. I am also an accomplished Customer Service Trainer.
By God’s grace, I got inducted into the Houston Public Library in December of 2019 and was awarded “Who is Who in Nigerian Diaspora” Honor in 2020.
Growing up as a little Nigerian girl, I was very shy and timid. When I turned seven, I started to express myself by doing things that make me happy and fulfilled. I would go around and get cardboard sheets, cut them up into smaller pieces to form pages of a book and then write jokes, stories, poems, and basically everything my imagination could produce. I named this cardboard book the “Young Ones Loving Magazine”. I would produce weekly issues of my magazine and it was critiqued by one of my dear neighbours who would go through it and give me feedback.
Another thing I did was cut these cardboard sheets into dress forms as well, and I would use a needle and thread to manually piece them together to make whatever style my mind imagined. I have always loved unique fashion styles.
Fast forward to when I relocated to the United States. Whenever I went shopping for clothes, I got a bit frustrated because I could love the style displayed dress but would not be satisfied with the fabric.
African prints have always stood out for me because they are infused with the diverse culture and tradition of my country and are also rich in vibrant colours, bold patterns, and unique designs. A well-done African print will make anyone rocking it stand out always. This pushed me to start making my own clothes mixing African prints with contemporary designs.
Consequently, anyone I came in contact with would complement my outfit and ask if I could make one for them. The demand grew and became so high that it directed me towards launching my clothing line with the help of my husband, Williams Akeeb, who is my Co-designer and Creative Director. I wanted a lot more people to benefit from the uniqueness of this creativity without having to spend so much, so I decided to make my designs on a large scale; this is how Uchexclusive was born.
Uchexclusive is a clothing line that combines African prints with contemporary fashion to produce beautifully designed ready-to-wear women’s clothes. My dream is to make African fashion easily accessible to anyone, no matter your style. Life’s experiences and certain people I have come across since relocating to the United States have helped me boost my self-confidence and self-esteem. I have learnt to believe in myself and to trust my instincts. These have ultimately helped me fulfil my purpose.
I use Uchexclusive to express myself fashion-wise; our clothes are carefully handcrafted to maintain their uniqueness.
We have launched the Princess line for girls and we are so excited about this!
It is great to pursue one’s passion; however, it can be a challenging ride. One thing I would say is that the beginning is usually the hardest. Just take the first step and things will begin to fall in place. As you grow, you get to learn more, become better at what you do and the process becomes easier.
Everything did not all go smoothly; there were some challenges along the way. The biggest challenges we encountered were funding, and sourcing for the best quality fabrics. I always ensure that I get fabrics of great quality, not ones that fade or colour bleed. Luckily, we’ve been able to overcome most of these challenges. Our jobs funded the company at first but as we grew, funding became easier. We have settled with “Ozella Fashion” and “Abata Couture”, the best African prints manufacturers in Nigeria to bring my designs to life.One of my goals is to support women manufacturers in Nigeria, as this is a way to give back to my culture and heritage.
Thanks to Digital Marketing, our marketing manager has the advertising under control.
We launched the Uchexclusive annual Fashion show in 2019 and this has helped us a lot in creating awareness for the brand.
We recently hired our Chief Operating Officer who is in charge of launching Uchexclusive in Nigeria and other African countries via the “Jumia” platform and we’re excited about this major milestone.
God’s grace, my husband, and my amazing team have made it possible to achieve steady growth and we look forward to more growth in the near future.
All of the sleepless nights invested in planning and strategizing are paying off. To be the best, you have to team up with the best and put in the work. Also to be courageous no matter the bump on the road – because there sure will be bumps – focus on your big picture. I am determined to keep the fire burning!
My advice to the Youth is simple: “START TO EXECUTE”!
Don’t wait for anyone to come save you, you can do it!
There are opportunities when you search. For example, the guy who edited my 2nd book is in Lagos, Nigeria. I never met him physically, I only communicated with him via Fiverr.com, where he specializes in book editing and gets paid really well in Dollars to do this.
You have the capability to do anything you set out to do, if you take action, put in the hard work, and allow God to lead you.
Do not be afraid to fail, failure is part of the process and it molds you into being a better person in life and business.
The process can be rough and challenging, however, continue to focus on the big picture and the reason for starting out and you will succeed.
Also, Self-development is very important. It is good to acquire a skill at least. You need to evolve continuously. Do not stay stagnant.
Thanks to everyone at TIMELESS FACTS MAGAZINE. Well done.
Facebook: Uche Joan Akeeb
www.uchexclusive.net
www.excellentserviceacademy.com
