A lot of activities happen everyday. People head to work, take walks, go the market, hit the gym, stop at restaurants to have a meal or two, and do several other things. In the middle of all these, was a woman trying to sell some clothes from the boot of her car.
While extremely few people who may have seen her ply her trade in the mid-90’s might remember her humble beginnings, many who passed her by would never have had a clue that the lady selling the items from that car boot, could someday grow the business into a multi-million dollars venture.
Adenike Ogunlesi, is the founder, CEO, and manufacturer of the Nigerian babies and kiddies clothing line called Ruff ‘n’ Tumble. The brand currently has a minimum of 15 stores spread across Nigeria.
Adenike Ogunlesi’s success story dates back to 1996, when she first sought to make some pyjamas for her three kids during the rainy season. These nighties were made out of cotton and looked trendy, colourful, and beautifully graced with a Peter Pan collar. The creativity in these pyjamas made them stand out from anything that was currently in the market.
Her sister in-law, upon seeing what Adenike Ogunlesi had created, couldn’t resist the beauty portrayed by the pyjamas and asked that she made seven (7) pyjamas for her. This triggered a spark in Adenike, and she decided to try out this new venture; whatever it may hold for her.
As she embarked on this new journey, she started taking her kids clothes apart to see how they were sewn together. As she figured out the sewing dynamics, she started to create beautiful patterns, which led to sewing more clothes like trousers, shirts, shorts, and more. After dropping her kids at school, she’d attempt to sell some of the clothing straight from the boot of her car.
As sales grew, her husband encouraged her to make some more for may other kids, and to keep pushing her new trade.
She started selling her hand-made clothing at some events like bazaars and even school markets. After selling clothing worth $600 in one day, in a market, she finally realised that she had a business venture that could scale the ceilings of success.
As Adenike Ogunlesi went head-on into her new small business, she started to observe the market trends that surrounded kiddies items. She soon realised that most of the items in the markets were not trendy, and the combination of clothing in one pack for a purchase was never truly beneficial to the mother purchasing the items. Armed with this knowledge, she set to grow her business, while covering the flaws of the market, through her brand. Success Story Of Adenike Ogunlesi
She hired a couple of tailors to start local manufacturing of her clothing, which was initially sold through a supermarket.
She later setup her own store with her personal savings and a loan from her elder brother.
After a good turnover one christmas, she expanded her store within the same premises, and this was where real growth began.
She started to read, so she could expand her knowledge. This eventually led her to attend a course on customer experience and supply chain management. Not long after, she opened a second store, then a third store, and eventually a fourth in Abuja. Overtime, she eventually setup stores in Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and Kano.
Her long-term brand, Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, which manufactures children clothing, today employs over 200 people, and has grown to add two more clothing brands, named, NaijaBoysZ and Trendsetters to their collection.
The success story of Adenike Ogunlesi, is one every entrepreneur should emulate. Limited by funds and with no access to investors, tenancity of purpose will always be supreme, as long as you’re building a venture on a viable business model.
