La Mode Magazine interview with the CEO of Jbronze Hair and Lashes Joan O. Asamaigor.
La Mode: Tell us about your background and how it all started ?
Joan: My name is Joan O. Asamaigor, a christian, from Ugheli North in Delta State, the second child from a family of 7, I am happily married to my best friend. My early years were spent shuttling between Lagos and the North. I was born in Lagos and raised in the North, returned to Lagos for my secondary school education and then returned to University of Abuja for my University education, I have a BSc in Economics and Statistics, i also have a diploma certification in Events management from the University of Georgia, Atlanta. I also have a certification for hands on training on microblading and everything eyelash.
I will like to think of myself as an all round entrepreneur and business woman.
La Mode: How did your background shape you into becoming a successful entrepreneur?
Joan: I spent the early years of my life with my grandmother, my grandmother was a trader. I learnt everything I know about business from her. she was the most industrious woman on the planet. She had trucks in which she bought cows from Kano in the North and transported them to Lagos for trading, that is how i grew up in the North.I learnt honesty, contentment, diligence, hard work. That is why when i started Jbronze hair, I was not going to limit it to just hair, we now have our own Lash line and also our line of contact lenses in the market.
La Mode: Tell us about your brand and what makes your brand different from other brand ?
Joan: The Jbronze brand is a luxury brand that focuses on attention to details, sincerity, originality and gratitude. We keep in contact with our clients and follow them throughout their hair journey, we are easy to access and we are online 24/7. We put in place a good return and feedback policy giving our clients good value for their money. We also focus on packaging and branding, our products are well packaged; we know our clients value that, and our packaging also influences our sales. Our customer service is top notch, we ensure that no complaint (both online and offline) goes unresolved. . We interact with each client individually, no copy and paste Question and Answers, we attend to clients according to their individual needs. We also educate our clients on product care, what works, what suits them, how to care for their purchase. We also have loads of videos educating our clients about our products on so, we treat everyone as a potential customer, no segregation
La Mode: How would you describe the hair business in Nigeria ?
Joan: The hair business is an emerging market, very competitive but there is always room for your own clients. Since it is in the beauty industry, we move with the tides and it has its seasons, but notwithstanding, we have a wonderful set of loyal customers that keep us in the market.
La Mode: How long have you been in business?
Joan: Jbronze brand has been consistent in the market for 2 years now, We started out a while back and stopped and then resumed fully about two years now when we opened our outlet in Lagos, and we have been on the move ever since. We launched our lash line called Lashed by Jbronze in July 2017 and also started our line of Contact lenses in August 2018, we are now a one stop shop for beauty.
La Mode: What would you say are the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in Nigeria?
Joan: Running a business in Nigeria is not for the faint hearted, the challenges are endless, sometimes it gets really frustrating and tough. Should we talk about the exchange rate and how unstable it is under this our economy, or if we talk about the poor infrastructure, especially electricity, it’s disheartening to see how much small business spend running generators monthly, the duty fee is also not so favorable because we have our clients outside the shores of this country, getting our goods to them is not also very cheap. There’s also the issue of multiple taxation, and credit facilities (loans) are difficult to access, even when they are, they come with high interest rates and short term payment.
La Mode: What are your major accomplishments as an entrepreneur?
Joan: One will be that I was able to build this brand out of a hobby, I started shopping for hair as a hobby and
now it has become a big brand, also we expanded our outlets to different cities for easy accessibility, we are now in Canada, Accra, Abuja, Warri and Portharcourt.
La Mode: Who motivates you to be better?
Joan :First would be my husband, i call him my Dejavu, he wants me to be better and does everything to make me better, he always tells me that once i put my mind on something, i will definitely get good results. Secondly i will say, the woman on the street that wears any of our products and feels beautiful on the inside and out, the fact that our product can put a smile on someone’s face, that makes us do more daily, that, to us is enough motivation as a brand.
La Mode: What is your fashion statement?
Joan: Style is self expressive… my style is simple and classy. I believe beauty is pain, and there’s nothing too expensive or too beautiful for me.
La Mode: Which international and local magazine is your favorite?
Joan: Locally, i would say This Day Style; i get my weekly dose of style feed from them, and on the foreign scene ill say British Vogue and Elle Magazine.
La Mode: What is your advice for young entrepreneurs who look up to you?
Joan: Ill say, Entrepreneurship is not easy so do not give up, even when things are tough. Keep pushing, keep moving forward. Surround yourself with likeminded people and success driven people, good association helps you achieve more. Find a mentor; this will keep you focused and accountable along your journey. Look out for bad reviews; you’ll know where your mistakes are from. Be positive, be sociable, Network, be about your brand everywhere, speak your brand, wear your brand, talk your brand. Never be too scared to start small, Amazon started from a small office, and now is one of the biggest online platforms, Rome was not built in a day. Live within your means and learn to save, never spend more than you earn. Listen more, that’s why we have two ears and one mouth. Upgrade your skills; look out for new things and FOCUS. Learn to create time for yourself, health is wealth.
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