Corporate Economics graduate, Nancy Nwabueze, tells AYOOLA OLASUPO how her fears as a young woman in search of a job eventually turned into a blessing after embracing a different path to make ends meet
You are a graduate yet went into business. When did you first realise you wanted to tow this path?
My name is Nancy Nwabueze popularly known as Mummy Trevor. I graduated from Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Imo State. I studied Corporate Economics, but I ended up selling pap. That was what I found myself doing when there was no work at all. When I finished school about three years ago and I tried to get a job to no avail, I had to fix myself with something. I’m also a hairstylist and a makeup artist. After school, I learnt some skills because the situation was becoming worrisome. I kept searching for work and I became frustrated.
What was the turning point that made you realise the need to venture into this business?
The first time I realised that I wanted to go into the business was when I went to submit my Curriculum Vitae at a bank. I finished with a Second Class Upper. So, I was bold to go there. I just thought that if I submitted the CV, I would get the job. I went there and the way the people there responded to me was not okay. The impression wasn’t encouraging. I had to decide that I would be my boss. I have a baby, and I was doing this pap for my son because he was so lean and was not adding enough weight.
Did you learn the business from someone before venturing into it?
A man taught me how to do weight gain products like pap, etc. I paid the guy some money and learnt from him. He put me through everything, and I started doing it for my baby. Things started working, and people began to ask me what I was feeding my baby and what they needed to buy. I was so surprised, but my husband told me to start the business because there was nothing to do as a graduate.
How did you feel when your husband said that?
For me selling the pap is much better than just staying out without doing anything so that was how it happened. I did a production for my baby to consume, and people started asking what I should do for them. Even white people were asking me to help them with the baby food. Many of them were asking me about the product and from there I started selling. People were testifying that the product was for their baby.
How much was your starting capital for the business?
The first money I invested in the business was N20,000 because, at first, I was producing the food for my baby. I was doing the pap for my baby and from there, people were asking me to introduce them to it and that I should give them the contact of where I was buying my baby’s food. That was because my baby was looking so healthy and chubby. They asked what I was feeding my baby and what they needed to buy because their babies were lean.
My husband advised me to start selling the stuff to them. So, I found out from the person that taught me. The person gave me guidelines on how to package and fix the price. It was not long before I started making my products.
I produced the labels and started selling the pap to some people. From there, I had a platform, and I started posting it online. I knew if I did this advert, showing my baby’s before-and-after pictures, people would buy the product. That was what put me into the business.
How has your academic background influenced your branding?
The school I attended was not a waste because it showed in my packaging and how I carried myself. I believe in being unique in any competitive area because I’m not the only one selling pap. I see many people involved in the business, but I just wanted to stand out. So, I believe that my educational background is not a waste because I studied Economics and it’s all about business.
I learnt certain things and I’m trying to put them into practice. I’m trying to fix it into the business as well, both in the business strategies and how to convince customers. I’m just trying my best to see that my education is not a waste. All my packaging and everything come in because I see many people selling pap and I know how their packaging is. This is why I try as much as I can to stand out.
What method are you using to try to present your business in a different form from the way others are doing it?
One of the things that I’ve done to make my business stand out is that my product is very unique and natural. It stands out on its own. It’s not just the regular pap that people buy. It is a special pap because it contains a lot of things. My pap contains millet, tiger nuts, banana, potato, carrot, etc. It’s just like a fruity pap. I don’t do the regular kind of pap, and anybody who tastes it will confirm it.
They always say the pap is more than the regular one that I usually taste. That will make them come for more and even introduce me to people. When someone buys my pap and feeds his or her baby and finds out that I’m genuinely making it for babies, they will be encouraged to buy more. That only promotes the business on its own. I also have platforms where I promote the business. I have TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram handles. My TikTok handle is @mummytrevor.
I have a page and I’m also promoting my business there. I’m using my son for an advert because he has a default picture where he’s lean and when the thing started working well for him. For me, the boy inspired me because when I was buying all these regular baby foods, it wasn’t working on him. I had to venture into this pap production. I’m not just into pap only. When I fed him with it, within a few weeks, and months, I saw some changes. He started growing so chubby, so big. Before, he looked so lean, dry, and malnourished; it was as if he was not eating, but when he started taking my pap, he grew so chubby and big.
Can adults take the pap also or it’s meant for children only?
Yes, we have the ones for adults. Adults can also take it. Anybody can take it. It makes them grow big if they want to develop muscles, especially for men who want to add weight. We have a weight gain product for adults. It’s not just only pap that I make. I make other things. We have a variety of things depending on the ones people like. Pap has many varieties depending on the one people like taking.
Some people are allergic to nuts. If you’re allergic to nuts, we have the one that we will tell you to take. Since we started, we have been delivering within and outside the country, USA. We have delivered pap to people abroad. Even foreigners buy from me. One white woman bought from me, and she was surprised. She confirmed it was working. I was also surprised. This business has taken me far and I’m not stopping anytime soon. I’m not stopping. I’m still delivering to the UK, Canada, and France.
When you were about to start this business, how did your family and friends react to the decision?
I will tell you that some of my friends were mocking me. My coursemates who graduated with me are still searching for work to date. They asked if it was the pap business that I was going into. I said since I was not getting employed, the pap business was the only thing I could do for now. The only person who supported me was my husband. He is my true support.
He supported me with some money. My husband and my mum are the ones who supported me. Sometimes my husband helps me out to sieve. Whenever I have to produce, they (husband and mum) also help to sieve. I always call my mum to come around to assist in the production process.
What does your husband do for a living?
He’s a businessman. He sells spare parts but whenever I have multiple productions, he will leave his shop. He has boys anyway. So, he leaves his shop to come and help me. It looks so funny but that’s what brings food to the table. One has to take it from there. I don’t like being idle no matter what. Anywhere I find myself, I like turning my situation into something that will lead me well. I can’t be idle now because I went to school, and I can’t be staying idle just because I don’t have a job.
You said some of your friends mocked you. How were you able to cope with the situation?
One thing about mockery in a good way is that the first time that I started, I didn’t have enough capital. So, I was feeling so ashamed. But when I started making money from it, I wasn’t feeling ashamed of anything. I don’t even care what people say. I see that there’s a lot of money in it. I don’t even listen to some of my friends that are mocking me.
Some of them are still looking for jobs now. So, I went ahead and started learning skills. Of course, as I am now, I’m not rich, I’m not poor, but I know that I’m okay for now because the business is still growing. I intend to be the number one pap seller in Nigeria, we have distributors, and we are still looking for more distributors all over the country. My target is to have a lot of distributors around.
How much do you sell your pap?
They come in different sizes. The cost of custard paint, which people are familiar with, is N17,000. We have various types of pap. The lactation pap is about N19,000 for the size of custard paint. We have other sizes that come in plastic and different bottle sizes. We also have one of N4,000 and N8,000 for people that can’t afford the higher price.
What year did you graduate?
I finished school in 2021 and served in 2022.
What are the things you can point out as your achievements since you started this business?
As for my achievement, I started this business with N20,000, and I can tell you that this is the only money that I invested in this business, and it has yielded a lot. I bought my grinding machine and dehydrator which cost N250,000 and N500,000 from that money. I’ve also bought some things for myself from my profits, and I want to establish the business in a way that will blow everybody’s mind.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in starting or growing your business?
Not really because when I was starting, I was still learning. The more I grow, the more I upgrade. The more I’m growing the more my business will grow with me. There are certain things that I did not add when I was starting but I’ve added them now. That is what I call an upgrade. I believe I will upgrade more than the level that I am now. The idea of adding another product to the ones I’m selling may also arise because I still have a lot of things to venture into regarding baby food production.
What advice will you give to graduates finding it difficult to secure jobs?
The advice I can give to any graduate without a job is that they should learn a skill. They should learn a skill before getting admitted into any tertiary institution because with the current economic reality, if they don’t do that, they will come back to learn it after they’ve completed their tertiary education. That is just the system now and the economy is not even encouraging. We need to have a skill. They should have a skill to boost their self-esteem.
