I started making shoes when I couldn’t get my size - Abimbola Azeh

 

 Monalisa Abimbola Azeh, Chief Executive Officer of Mona Matthews, a Nigerian company that produces handmade footwear and bags, is a lawyer with over 25 years’ experience. Her passion for shoemaking began when she found it difficult to get her desired shoe type and size. In this interview with Angeladaviesblog, she talks about how she started designing shoes, fashion and other interesting issues.
What exactly does Mona Matthews do?
Mona Matthews is a Nigerian company that produces locally-handmade shoes and bags in Nigeria for Nigerians and other people who like good quality footwear and handbags. Mona Matthews started in 2002 and we produce to customers’ order, we also have ready-to-wear shoes so it depends on what the customers want.

How do you source for materials?
We get our materials from Nigeria. And there are one or two things that we bring in from abroad but it is not about the material, it’s the quality of the workmanship that matters.
You are a lawyer with over 25 years’ experience, so why leave law for shoemaking?
I will be 30 years at the bar this year. But going into shoemaking wasn’t intentional in the sense that I didn’t get up one day and say I am going to leave law practice. I first started making shoes for myself because I wanted to be able to wear the kind of shoes that I liked and I wasn’t able to get them at that time. People of my generation grew up wearing Italian shoes and real leather shoes made in England, Spain and other places. But when the global economy shifted to production from the Far East, I found out that the shoes that we were seeing in our markets and even abroad were from China. I have wide feet so it was very difficult to get shoes that were my size as well as the quality and aesthetic that matched my desire. So, I started with my own shoes and did not plan it as a business. However, when I started making and wearing them, people saw them on me, liked them and asked me to make for them and I started making for people. But like I said because I didn’t plan it as a business, I did it for a while and I left it. Then I was working in my church office and I felt it was time for me to move on as my assignment had been completed there. So after spending time praying and seeking the face of God about what He wants me to do at that point in my life because by then I was already 39 years old, I started making shoes as a business. I guess I couldn’t afford to make mistakes as it were, so that was it.
What inspires your designs?
To start with, we look at what the trends are internationally, then, we look at what the trends are in Nigeria in terms of what people are wearing. When you know what the trends are in clothes, then you can design accessories to match the clothes. But more than anything, what inspires my designs are my customers’ needs. Feet have different shapes just like human body have different shapes. You will find out that what will fit a pear-shaped woman will not fit an apple-shaped woman. It’s exactly the same thing with shoes. You see a pair of shoes and you like it, you put your feet in them and your feet looks horrible. Meanwhile someone else will put her feet in the same shoes and her feet look nice. It does look nice on you because your feet and hers is not the same. Also we found out that when shoes are produced abroad, they have their colours of the year. For instance, they might choose five colours for 2015. When Nigerians are choosing their lace and aso oke, they don’t bother themselves with the five colours that have been chosen, instead they create their own colours. Last year, we did a lot of shoes in coral, teal and magenta. Also, it’s about aesthetics for some customers and for some, they just cannot find their shoe size in nicelooking shoes so they come and we make them beautiful shoes with real leather or fabric they want us to use.
What were the challenges and how were you able to overcome them when you started?
The journey has been interesting. We were able to weather the storms that came. Initially when we started, the industry was moregeared towards male shoes. Shoemakers prefer to make male shoes because they were easier to make. Things to make female shoes were not so common, for instance, accessories were hard to find, stylish heels were scarce and leather in interesting colours was difficult to get. But by the Grace of God we were able to innovate. I remember there was a particular heel we couldn’t find so we started making our own. There was also a particular sole we couldn’t find and we started making our own as well. When we could not find colours in leather, we learnt how to use fabric, so we got very creative. As a result, the challenges actually helped us to bring out the best in ourselves and we found out that with each challenge that we were able to overcome, we become better and even got ahead of the pack. Somehow God just gave me the grace not to give up.
Did you at any time have a formal training in shoemaking? No, I think that is one of the things about being a child of God. If you are working in your destiny, there is a provision that God has made and put into you, it’s a gift as it were. There are some things that are innate. I have not had any formal training in shoemaking. Everything I know about shoemaking, I learnt from my shoemakers. And fortunately for me, I have always had the best with the shoemakers. And when I am interviewing new shoemakers, they are always amazed at how much I know but that is really how I learnt. I am talking about normal shoemakers by the road side. What I knew that I needed to learn was how to run a business. So, from the first day I started my business, I attended Fate Foundation where I did business management training. But, it is not because of the training I had in Fate Foundation but the grace of God upon my life and the wisdom He has given me to do what I am doing.
How fulfilling has making shoes been for you?
It is extremely fulfilling because when you are able to satisfy someone’s needs and the person comes back to you to say ‘thank you’, it’s a feeling you can’t put money on. I had one customer who was in his 80s, he had a bad foot and he wasn’t able to wear proper shoes. When we met him, his daughter was about to get married and he wanted to wear proper shoes because he was tired of wearing the kind of shoes he has been wearing. We were able to give him what he wanted. It is always a happy moment when clients come back, send you text messages or even call to thank you for making the happy. You can’t really explain it except you experience it.
How many hours does it take to make a pair of shoes?
It takes eight to 10 hours because everything is completely handmade. It is a process that needs to be followed step by step. You start with the shoot of leather, cut the sole and insole and you begin the process of wrapping, blowing, gumming, nailing, stitching and adding other things. So, it takes eight hours.
Obviously shoemaking is time consuming, how do you balance your business and the home front?
My husband supports me 100 per cent in what I do. And as much as possible, he allows me to do what I need to do. Secondly, I learnt very early that you should have domestic staff that are reliable. If you are running a 100 million business, you can afford to pay N30, 000 to your domestic staff a month. So I learnt from female entrepreneurs when I was starting business that you should sort out your home front. Always have very good domestic staff, people that understand how you work so that you set a process up in the house that doesn’t disturb your work. And the kind of business that I do, people call me all the time and I need to be in touch with the shoemakers even when I am not in Lagos. I use Proverbs 31 woman as an example, it was not that she was just hardworking, she was organised, had servants, knew what she was doing and set her entire operations in such a way that it worked successfully.
What advice would you give to some female CEO’s who pay more attention to their business over the home front?
For a woman to choose her business over her home, maybe it is because she is the sole breadwinner. And so if she doesn’t pay attention to the business even the home will collapse. It is still the same thing, get domestic staff or a relation that can help you do some of your house chores. But I know it’s not easy for a lot of people. When I talk to people about business, I tell them two things: know your God and know yourself. You know the things that God has provided for you as a person, that is your capabilities and then know yourself, know the kind of person that you are and be true to yourself. As much as possible I am still learning. It is a matter of getting your priories right. There are some businesses that you can even run from home so that you are around the children and the family to keep an eye on things. I started my business in my sitting room, I couldn’t even afford to rent a shop. I was there for seven years and customers were coming there but I still made it as professional as possible. I would have taken my bath and dressed professionally looking, locked up the private areas of the house before the first customer arrives. So, you can prioritise and make sure that things are running smoothly as much as possible.
What do you have to say to people who still don’t believe in made in Nigeria products especially when it comes to footwear?
Those people are hard to find these days because if you look inside your wardrobe, the most expensive clothes you have in your wardrobe are probably made in Nigeria – your natives. Today, fashion determines that if you are attending an event, you’re most likely to wear traditional attire and they are sewn in Nigeria. Nobody takes their native attire to London to go and sew. What people don’t know much about is the leather industry. And in the 13 years that I have been operating in the industry, the awareness has increased. I have customers who live abroad and they call me to make shoes for them, both males and women. The problem we have is that when some people see our products, they don’t believe we made them in Nigeria. In the few instances when we see people that say they don’t believe in made in Nigeria products, you know that they are not exposed.
If you had to work with an international footwear designer, who will that be?
Manolo Blahnik. I have always liked his designs. They are always very cutting edge, elegant, of unique quality, always stands out but extremely comfortable. They are expensive but you are paying for good quality.
Would you someday go back to law practice?
I have already gone back to law. I have some partners and we are practicing.
With all the strain of the work, what do you do to unwind?
I don’t like parties and I am not an aso ebi person but I have the things that I like and enjoy doing. I go on Facebook. Facebook has evolved and every major company in the world have a facebook page which you can follow. Once I log onto my Facebook page, the whole world is there. I get my entertainment news, serious news, health tip and I advertise as well. I love music, concerts and stage performances and they are always putting up videos of people either seriously singing or just messing around, comedy sketches both from Nigeria and foreign and all that make me unwind. I really don’t even watch television these days and I am very up to date with whatever is going on anywhere in the world and that is because of how I configured my news feed. That is how I chill once I am done with work.
How will you define your style?
I’m very fashion conscious but I don’t necessarily follow trends. I wear what I’m comfortable in but I’m bold. I wear trousers and skinny jeans. I consider myself a stylish person and I know what suites me. For my personal style, I like comfort but at the same time when I am dressing up, I want to look striking. I tell people that when I enter through the door I want people to look at me.
How do you view marriage?
Marriage is an institution that God ordained from the foundation of the earth. When you enjoy a good marriage, it’s like heaven on earth. But unfortunately, many people do not know what it takes to have a good marriage. But fortunately for us, God has given us the bible and it has taught us that as women we should submit to our husbands and the men should love their wives as Christ loves the church. And for a man to love a woman, the bible doesn’t say love her when she is good and respectful, it just says you should love her. Men need to love their wives regardless of how they are and prayerfully help them to become who they are supposed to be and vice versa.
How do you handle obstinate clients who want to buy particular foot wears even though it will not look good on their feet?
First, we study our customers. It is not every customer that you tell outright that the shoes will not look nice on them. Like I said you have already formed a relationship with them even if he or she is a new customer, you are friendly, not formal and uptight with them. Then we ask them the kind of footwear they need but you have to be a good listener. After which we make suggestions and then get them to try on different shoes so that they will see the one that fits and look nicer on them.
What advice do you have for young people who want to do this kind of business?
Don’t come into the business because you want to come into it. You should come into the business if you are gifted. To be a good shoe designer you must be an artistic, meticulous and somebody who is into details. You must be stylish and also understand colours. For instance, peach and coral are not the same colour even though they look similar. So, you must be able to distinguish such. Then whatever other skill you don’t have, you can acquire but you must be an artistic person.