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.
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